Read and Write Course 5 Approaching Level - Teacher Edition

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Teacher Edition

Read and Write

Approaching

A10C5_Nat_ANCA_IRW_TE_TP_RD10.in1 1

2/14/08 6:32:52 PM

Copyright Page TK

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce the material contained herein on the condition that such material be reproduced only for classroom use; be provided to students, teachers, and families without charge; and be used solely in conjunction with the Glencoe Literature program. Any other reproduction, for sale or other use, is expressly prohibited. Send all inquiries to: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill 8787 Orion Place Columbus, OH 43240-4027 ISBN: 978-0-07-889608-8 MHID: 0-07-889608-8 Printed in the United States of America. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 005 14 13 12 11 10 09 08

Contents To Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Program Scope and Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Writing Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Best Practices for Fluency Development. . . . . . . . . . . . Oral Reading Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teaching the Objectives: Course 5 Essential Course of Study Why Use This Book? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . An Astrologer’s Day Tuesday Siesta

. . . . . . . . . . . T15 . . . . . . . . . . . T16 . . . . . . . . . . . T17 . . . . . . . . . . . T22

• Jhumpa Lahiri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

• Judith Ortiz Cofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

• Maya Angelou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

• Lewis Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Straw into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Everyday TIME: What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes Cinderella’s Stepsisters Ode to My Socks

. . . . . . . . . . . T14

• Gabriel García Márquez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Living Well. Living Good. The Tucson Zoo

. . . . . . . . . . . T10

• R. K. Narayan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Catch the Moon

. . . . . . . . . . . . T6

• Sandra Cisneros . . . . . 89

• Barack Obama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

• Toni Morrison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

• Pablo Neruda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

T3

Contents (continued)

The Print of the Paw To An Aged Bear . . . Three Haiku

• N. Scott Momaday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

• Matsuo Basho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

After great pain, a formal feeling comes— Heart, we will forget him! . . . . . . . . . . I Am Offering This Poem Horses Graze Miss Rosie

• Emily Dickinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

• Jimmy Santiago Baca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

• Gwendolyn Brooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

• Lucille Clifton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

TIME: We Are Family

• Chang-Rae Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Comparing Literature

Dream Boogie • Langston Hughes Motto Dizzie Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds, from Giants of Jazz • Studs Terkel Playing Jazz • Wynton Marsalis . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene 1 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene 1 . The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer

T4

• William Shakespeare . . . . . . . 205

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235

• Brian Branston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

Contents (continued)


Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother • Joseph Bruchac and Gayle Ross John Henry • Zora Neale Hurston A Song of Greatness • Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Comparing Literature

What I Have Been Doing Lately • Jamaica Kincaid People at Night • Denise Levertov The Dream • Anna Akhmatova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Functional Documents: Lesson 1 E-mail Application Cover Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

Functional Documents: Lesson 2 Professional Article Warranty Product Information Installation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

Additional Student Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pronunciation Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grammar and Word Study Blackline Masters . . . . . . . Answers to Grammar and Word Study Blackline Masters

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316

A1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . A34 . . . . . . . . . . . . .

T5

To Teachers

Overview

Using the Student Edition

Glencoe’s Read and Write for approaching-level students provides additional language and concept support for students using the Glencoe Literature program. This resource may be used to preteach the selections or as a parallel instruction to the whole group.

The Read and Write student edition uses “considerate text” to provide a variety of interactive strategies that engage and motivate students. Teachers need a repertoire of strategies for helping students develop as readers. Teachers also need to establish context in which students can develop, apply, and hone the reading skills they have learned. Teaching reading, at its best, is actively assisting students before, during, and after their engagement with a text; teachers should encourage students to circle, underline, or highlight sections of text in any way that helps them understand and remember what they read and to fill the margins with their own thoughts and questions.

The Read and Write student edition follows the organization of the Glencoe Literature program, with instruction and support provided for the following features: • Literary Element • Reading Strategy • Vocabulary

Before You Read Helping Approaching-Level Students to Build Reading Proficiency One of the major concerns of teachers of approaching-level students is how to move students beyond the basic ability to decode words. Research shows that the most effective way for approaching-level students to develop reading proficiency is to focus them on active engagement in learning and to use metacognitive and cognitive learning strategies. Monitoring comprehension, building background, making inferences about possible meanings of new vocabulary—systematic instruction in all these strategies helps approaching-level students to become proficient readers. The Read and Write philosophy of learner interaction, strategic intervention, and academic language development aligns with current linguistic thinking and best practices for teaching approaching-level students. Read and Write offers comprehensible instruction that is cognitively demanding and contextually embedded. Side notes, for instance, explain reading strategies and literary elements in a clear, interactive format, providing concrete examples for abstract concepts, such as drawing conclusions.

T6

The before reading features parallel the instruction of the Glencoe Literature program, using an accessible format for approaching-level students. • Connect to the Genre gives students the opportunity to think about their own experience and knowledge as it relates to the selection. • Building Background encourages students to build on what they know about the selection topic. • Set Purposes for Reading asks students to set their reasons for reading, so they can plan how to read. • Literary Element instruction helps students identify key aspects of literature. • Reading Strategies introduce key strategies that will promote students reading comprehension and proficiency. • Selection Vocabulary parallels the vocabulary taught in the core program, but modified definitions and activities provide systematic vocabulary instruction and additional context for accessing words’ meanings. • Pronunciation Key Refer students to the Pronunciation Key on page 316 for help in pronouncing new vocabulary words.

During Reading Interactive side margin notes ensure students’ active participation in using effective strategies for higher-order thinking skills, such as analyzing, identifying, defining, explaining, and critiquing. This interactive approach encourages students to be engaged as active speakers and listeners by using partner-talk and other strategies, such as sentence frames, that guide their critical thinking. • Literary Element and Reading Strategies offer practice in an interactive format to these features introduced before reading. • Background Information provides additional relevant context to build background. • Read and Discuss allows students to reflect upon their own opinions and thoughts. A partner icon signals to students to discuss their findings with a classmate. This opportunity allows students to demonstrate a range of speaking skills and strategies in paired activities or for flexible small-group instruction. • Reading Check, in a reciprocal teaching format, is a method of checking understanding during reading that actively engages students, creating in them a feeling of investment in their own learning process. The teacher guides students to apply four reading strategies in a prescribed way with the goal of achieving comprehension of a segment of text. As students become familiar with the process, the teacher’s role gradually changes from leader to facilitator as students take over the process themselves. The following offers brief descriptions of the four reading strategies used in Reading Check.

• Question After students have read a portion of the text, they answer questions about what they have just read. • Clarify Students are asked to use information in the text and their own knowledge to clarify confusing points or difficult terms or concepts. • Summarize Students summarize segments of text to actively evaluate ideas in the text and to determine the key ideas to be included in a summary. • Predict Students make predictions about what will happen next based on what they’ve already read. They use these predictions to prepare themselves to read on. • Note Taking provides a means for students to take notes while they read nonfiction selections. A process for taking notes is particularly useful in understanding informational text, and research shows that students who take good notes perform better on tests. Using this process, drawn from the Cornell note-taking system, students will record notes, recap what they’ve learned, and summarize their notes.

After You Read After reading, students return to what they wrote in the Connect to the Genre, Literary Element, and Reading Strategy activities to assess how their perspectives may have changed after reading. Vocabulary activities provide a cumulative review of new vocabulary terms and graphic organizer activities allow students to apply new concepts learned during reading. Some of these after reading activities appear in the back of the student book.

T7

Using the Teacher Edition The Read and Write Teacher Edition presents comprehensive guidance for teachers in providing effective, efficient instruction for approaching-level students. The lessons are easy to navigate—labeled sections correspond to each feature of the student page. Lessons give teachers optimal opportunities to scaffold instruction and check for understanding, using a variety of instructional techniques for building critical thinking and reading proficiency skills, including:

builds and connects. This instruction provides ample opportunities for students to talk and use new language learned. It helps teachers ask the right kind of questions that focus on the basic meaning of the text and build overall understanding. The interactive teacher modeling helps students to use what they already know as they add new knowledge. This technique makes instruction engaging and memorable for students.

Modeling Modeling is the process of demonstrating a thinking

what students already know, preparing them to acquire new knowledge.

process. To model, the teacher reads aloud the interactive prompt as students follow along. Then, in everyday language, the teacher reasons aloud. The purpose of modeling is for students to understand the steps that readers follow to solve a reading problem or analyze text. The goal is to have students apply similar reasoning procedures during their own reading processes. To complete the modeling cycle, individual students should think aloud, with a partner, or with the class, to demonstrate their own thinking processes as they employ the reading strategy or skill. Reasoning aloud makes students more aware of what they do as they read. Listening to a student think aloud shows the teacher how the student’s abilities are developing and where the student needs support and guidance in applying the strategy. Teachers should use the scripting in Read and Write as a springboard for modeling in their own words to sound as natural as possible.

Interactive Question-Response Each lesson is explored

Vocabulary Routines To provide teacher-directed instruction

through a research-proven interactive approach, called Interactive Question-Response, which will help teachers coach students to make connections and meaning. This conversational, interactive instruction creates context and provides opportunities for students to see how information

for vocabulary development, vocabulary routines appear for each lesson: Words are defined in a new way, additional sentences show the words in different contexts, and students define, explain, and compare and contrast vocabulary in their own words.

• • • • • • • • • •

Activating Prior Knowledge Interactive Question-Response Modeling Vocabulary Routines Academic Vocabulary African American Vernacular English Writing Links Fluency Word Study Grammar Links

Activate Prior Knowledge Teachers help to draw out

T8

Academic Vocabulary Lessons call out academic vocabulary words within the selection text at point of use. Academic vocabulary words represent a research-based collection of words that are commonly used in academic texts. Direct instruction presents students with the basics of a working academic vocabulary, one that will prove useful in reading, writing, and research in many areas of study.

African American Vernacular English Throughout the program, you will help students who speak African American vernacular English (AAVE) learn standard academic English by focusing on those places where AAVE differs from the standard and on those patterns that will have the most immediate impact on the students’ reading and writing development. You will help these students in understanding that what is appropriate in one setting is not appropriate in another, so they can shift easily and competently between varieties in different social contexts. Instruction will be more effective if it identifies nonstandard varieties of English as different, rather than inferior. All students should be taught standard English in a way that respects their home language.

Scope and Sequence on page T10 for an overview of the fluency skills covered in this teacher edition. See also pages T15 and T16 for best practices of fluency development.

Word Study Blackline Masters Word study instruction occurs throughout these lessons that feature words from the selections to illustrate particular word study topics, such as analogies, metaphors, similes, and word origins and derivations. Word study activities that reinforce instruction begin on page A1 at the back of this teacher edition. See the Program Scope and Sequence on page T10 for an overview of the word study topics in this program.

Grammar Link Blackline Masters Throughout the program, teachers are referred to grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation lessons that begin on page A1 at the back of this teacher edition. This instruction and practice features characters and topics from the selections to provide meaningful context as students apply concepts. See the Program Scope and Sequence on page T10 for an overview of the grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation topics.

Writing Link Each lesson suggests a writing assignment related to the selection to provide context for student writing that serves an intended purpose. See page T14 of this teacher edition for a Writing Checklist that students may use to evaluate their own writing.

Fluency Students practice oral reading skills throughout the program by practicing to read aloud individually. These fluency lessons provide instruction and practice for reading aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression. See the Program

T9

Course 5 • Read and Write for Approaching-Level Students

Program Scope and Sequence Selection An Astrologer’s Day

Literary Element

Reading Strategy

African American Vernacular English

Mood

Analyze Cultural Context

/i/ and /e/ before /m/ and /n/

Implied Theme

Make Inferences About Theme

Consonant Clusters

Compare and Contrast Characters

Existential Constructions

Point of View

Interpret Imagery

Subject-Verb Agreement

Memoir

Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs

The Verb To Be

Structure

Draw Conclusions About Meaning

The Past Tense

Thesis

Analyze Text Structure

The /th/ Sound

R. K. Narayan

Tuesday Siesta Gabriel Garcia Marquez

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Theme Jhumpa Lahiri

Catch the Moon Judith Ortiz Cofer

Living Well. Living Good. Maya Angelou

The Tucson Zoo Lewis Thomas

Straw into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Sandra Cisneros

TIME: What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes

Analyze a Visual Image

Barack Obama

Cinderella’s Stepsisters

Author’s Purpose

Identify Problem and Solution

Free Verse

Monitor Comprehension

Speaker

Apply Background Knowledge

Three Haiku _

Haiku

Interpret Imagery

After great pain, a formal feeling comes—

Personification

Compare and Contrast Tone

Metaphor and Simile

Preview and Review

Repetition

Draw Conclusions About Meaning

Alliteration

Analyze Sensory Details

Toni Morrison

Ode to My Socks Pablo Neruda

The Print of the Paw N. Scott Momaday

To An Aged Bear Matsuo Basho

Emily Dickinson

Heart, we will forget him! I Am Offering This Poem Jimmy Santiago Baca

Horses Graze Gwendolyn Brooks

Miss Rosie Lucille Clifton

T10

The Pronunciation of /r/

Writing

Fluency

Word Study

Grammar

Paragraph

Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (comma)

Using Commas before and, but, and or

Root Words and Word Origins

Journal Entry

Expression and Intonation: Dialogue

Action Verbs and Direct Objects

Multiple-Meaning Words AND Word Families

Anecdote

Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (period)

Simple & Compound Sentences

Prefixes and Suffixes AND Context Meaning

Postcard

Action Verbs and Indirect Objects

Base Words and their Derivatives AND Denotations and Connotations

Character Sketch

Main Verbs: Principal Parts

Journal Entry

Irregular Verbs I

Journal Entry

Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (question mark)

Irregular Verbs II

Description

Irregular Verbs III

Journal Entry

Sentence Fragments AND Run-on Sentences

Poem

Pacing: Phrasing

Synonyms

Personal Pronouns

Journal Entry

Haiku Paragraph

Letter

Using Pronouns Correctly

Antonyms

Pacing: Meaningful Phrases

Song Sentences Expressing Connotations

Pronouns and Antecedents

T11


Program Scope and Sequence Selection

Literary Element

TIME: We Are Family

Reading Strategy

African American Vernacular English

Analyze Cultural Context

Chang-Rae Lee

Comparing Literature Dream Boogie

Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme

Make Inferences About Theme

Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides

Analyze Cause-and-Effect The Negative System Relationships

Foil

Make and Verify Predictions

Langston Hughes

Motto Dizzie Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds, from Giants of Jazz Studs Terkel

Playing Jazz Wynton Marsalis

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene 1 William Shakespeare

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene 1

The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer Plot Pattern Archetype Brian Branston

Comparing Literature Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother

Suspense

Make Inferences About Characters

The Plural Marking System

Synthesize

The Pronounciation of /l/

Interpret Imagery

The Possessive System

Joseph Bruchac and Gayle Ross

John Henry Zora Neale Hurston

A Song of Greatness Anonymous Stream of Consciousness Comparing Literature What I Have Been Doing Lately Jamaica Kincaid

People at Night Denise Levertov

The Dream Anna Akhmatova

Functional Documents: Lesson 1

Make Generalizations AND Distinguish Fact and Opinion


Identify Sequence AND Summarize

T12

Writing

Fluency

Journal Entry

Grammar Making Subjects and Verbs Agree

Letter

Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (exclamation point)

Subject Pronouns and Verb Agreement

Dramatic Scene

Intontation and Pacing: Smooth Reading

Locating the Subject

Description Character Sketch

Figurative Language: Similes and Metaphors Homophones

Expression and Intonation: Bring out Meaning

Character Sketch

Poem

Word Study

Interrogative AND Exclamatory & Imperative Sentences

Compound Words

Adjectives that Compare

Pacing: Meaningful Phrases

Adverbs Modifying Verbs

E-Mail

Product Information

T13

Name

Writing Checklist 1. I followed the directions for writing. 2. My writing shows that I read and understood the article. 3. I capitalized the names of people and the proper names of places and things. 4. I put a punctuation mark at the end of each sentence. 5. I read my writing aloud and listened for missing words. 6. I used a dictionary to check words that didn’t look right. Check off the things on the list that you have done for each writing assignment.

Selection Titles An Astrologer’s Day Tuesday Siesta When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Catch the Moon Living Well. Living Good. The Tucson Zoo Straw into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Everyday TIME: What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes Cinderella’s Stepsisters Ode to My Socks The Print of the Paw; To An Aged Bear Three Haiku After great pain, a formal feeling comes—; Heart, we will forget him! I Am Offering This Poem Horses Graze Miss Rosie TIME: We Are Family Dream Boogie; Motto; Dizzie Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds, from Giants of Jazz; Playing Jazz The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene 1 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene 1 The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother; John Henry; A Song of Greatness What I Have Been Doing Lately; People at Night; The Dream Functional Documents: Lesson 1 Functional Documents: Lesson 2

T14

Checklist Numbers ✔ 1 2 3 4 5 6

Fluency Best Practices for Fluency Development Glencoe’s Read and Write provides differentiated instruction for fluency practice of the following skills:

paragraph at a time to the other, or the more fluent reader may read a long passage while the partner follows along silently.

Expression and Intonation

Pacing

Choral Reading Choral reading is a technique that allows

• Punctuation • Bring Out Meaning • Dialogue

• Phrasing • Meaningful Phrases • Smooth Reading

students to use their voices in unison to convey meaning. This practice allows shy or insecure students to practice fluency in a safe environment. By using these strategies, students will improve:

Why Fluency Is Important Slow, disfluent reading is associated with poor comprehension and inefficient reading overall. If reading proceeds haltingly, it is difficult for readers to make connections, activate background knowledge, acquire new information, or find deeper meaning in text. It’s important for secondary students to understand the role fluency plays in the reading process. As students become aware of their oral and silent reading behaviors, they will be able to monitor their fluency.

Strategies for Developing Fluency Oral Reading One of the most effective ways to help students build fluency is by having them listen to good oral readers and then practice oral reading themselves. Research shows that when a student hears the fluent reading of a text while simultaneously reading silently, fluency as well as vocabulary and comprehension improve.

Repeated Reading When students have difficulty with phrasing or inappropriate chunking of words, they need repeated practice in order to infer phrasing boundaries. Through repeated oral readings, the reader learns to transfer this knowledge of phrase patterns to other, unfamiliar passages.

Paired Reading Pair students and allow them to practice reading orally to one another. A partner may choose to read one

• Phrasing: the ability to chunk text into syntactically appropriate units • Smoothness: the ability to read without hesitation or inappropriate pauses • Prosody: the ability to portray the intonation, rhythm, and vocal stress in speech Read and Write calls out passages in the selections that are appropriate for practicing certain fluency skills. Following is an effective sequence for presenting these lessons: • Tell students they will be doing a choral reading of the passage • Read aloud the passage twice, demonstrating phrasing, smoothness, and prosody • Allow students to read the passage silently, practicing the fluency elements silently • Have students practice reading aloud the passage with a partner before choral reading • Students may join in the choral reading one at a time, until they are all reading together, or teachers may choose to have all students read together at the same time. Teachers may want to evaluate students individually, using the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16. Teachers may choose to keep records of students’ oral readings to be able to show students’ fluency improvement after repeated oral readings.

T15

Oral Reading Guidelines This guide will help you evaluate students’ oral reading performances. In each of the five categories listed, score a student’s fluency, using a scale of 1 to 4. After the evaluation in each category, average the five scores and record an overall score.

Score 1 Poor

Score 2 Fair

Score 3 Good

Score 4 Excellent

Accuracy

Word Recognition is poor (below 85%); the reader attempt to decode but is usually unsuccessful.

Word recognition is marginal (86–90%); the reader often self-corrects but unsuccessfully.

Word recognition is good (91–95%); the reader often self-corrects successfully.

Word recognition is excellent (96% or above); self-corrections are necessarily few and usually successful.

Rate

The reading rate is slow and laborious.

The reading rate is somewhat slow and inappropriately fast.

The reading rate is adequate but sometimes unevenly fast or slow.

The reading rate is consistently conversational and appropriate.

Phrasing

The reader reads wordby-word in one tone, often not recognizing phrases, clauses, or ends of sentences.

The reader reads in groups of two or three words, often not recognizing phrases, clauses, or ends of sentences.

The reader has good The reader reads expression but may pause expressively, showing in mid-sentence. understanding by recognizing phrases, clauses, and ends of sentences.

Smoothness

The reader pauses, hesitates, and repeats words many times.

The reader pauses and hesitates when encountering challenging parts.

The reader encounters occasional breaks in reading due to specific words; the reading is generally smooth.

The reader encounters very few breaks; the reading is smooth and even.

Prosody

The reader ignores punctuations and reads each word with equal emphasis.

The reader pays attention to punctuation, but reads in a monotone.

The reader uses expression appropriately to facilitate meaning.

The reader appropriately employs expression to enhance the text, using intonation, rhythm, and vocal stress to clarify meaning.

Name _____________________________ Overall Score______________ Class___________________________ Percentage Score_________%

T16


Teaching the Objectives The following abbreviated curriculum is a suggestion for addressing those objectives that students commonly encounter on standardized tests. You may use it as a guide for prioritizing instruction in preparation for the tests.

An Astrologer’s Day

Pacing/ Genre Days 2–6 Short Story

Where to Find the Instruction pp. 1–12

Tuesday Siesta

2–7

Short Story

pp. 13–26

Literary Study: Analyzing implied theme. Reading: Making inferences about theme. Reading: Understanding word parts.

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

4–11

Short Story

pp. 27–50

Literary Study: Analyzing theme. Reading: Comparing and contrasting characters. Reading: Understanding context clues.

Catch the Moon

3–7

Short Story

pp. 51–66

Literary Study: Analyzing point of view.

Selections/Lessons

Commonly Tested Objectives Literary Study: Analyzing mood. Reading: Analyzing cultural context. Reading: Understanding word origins.

Reading: Interpreting imagery. Reading: Understanding denotation and connotation

Living Well. Living Good.

2–5

Autobiography

pp. 67–76

Literary Study: Analyzing memoir. Reading: Drawing conclusions about the author’s beliefs. Reading: Understanding analogies.

The Tucson Zoo

3–7

Expository Essay

pp. 77–88, 306–307

Literary Study: Analyzing structure. Reading: Drawing conclusions about meaning. Reading: Understanding antonyms.

Straw into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Everyday

2–5

Personal Essay

pp. 89–98, 308

Literary Study: Analyzing thesis. Reading: Analyzing text structure. Reading: Understanding analogies.


2–6

Personal Essay

pp. 99–108, 309

Reading: Analyzing a visual image. Reading: Organizing, synthesizing, and evaluating the validity and reliability of information. Reading: Taking notes.

T17


Teaching the Objectives Selections/Lessons

Pacing/ Days

Genre

Where to Find the Instruction

Commonly Tested Objectives


1–4

Speech

pp. 109–116, 310

Literary Study: Analyzing author’s purpose. Reading: Identifying problem and solution. Reading: Understanding context clues.

Ode to My Socks

1–4

Poetry

pp. 117–124, 311

Literary Study: Analyzing free verse. Reading: Monitoring comprehension. Reading: Understanding synonyms or antonyms.

The Print of the Paw AND To an Aged Bear

1–4

Poetry

pp. 125–132

Literary Study: Analyzing speaker. Reading: Applying background knowledge. Reading: Understanding word origins.

Three Haiku

1–2

Poetry

pp. 133–138

Literary Study: Analyzing haiku. Reading: Interpreting imagery.

After Great Pain, a Formal Feeling Comes AND Heart We Will Forget Him I Am Offering This Poem

1–4

Poetry

pp. 139–146

Literary Study: Analyzing personification. Reading: Comparing and contrasting tone. Reading: Understanding antonyms.

1–4

Poetry

pp. 147–154

Literary Study: Analyzing metaphor and simile. Reading: Previewing and reviewing. Reading: Understanding connotation and denotation.

Horses Graze

1–4

Poetry

pp. 155–162

Literary Study: Analyzing repetition. Reading: Drawing conclusions about meaning. Reading: Understanding usage.

Miss Rosie

1–3

Poetry

pp. 163–168

Literary Study: Analyzing alliteration. Reading: Analyzing sensory details.

TIME: We Are Family

3–8

Personal Essay

pp. 169–184, 312

Reading: Analyzing cultural context.

T18



Comparing Literature: Dream Boogie AND Motto AND Playing Jazz AND Dizzie Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds, from Giants of Jazz The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene 1

Pacing/ Days

Genre


Commonly Tested Objectives

4–10

Poetry AND pp. 185–204, 313 Letter AND Biography

Literary Study: Analyzing rhyme and rhyme scheme. Reading: Making inferences about theme. Reading: Understanding usage.

4–14

Tragedy

pp. 205–234

Literary Study: Analyzing monologues, soliloquies, and asides. Reading: Analyzing cause-and-effect relationships. Reading: Understanding usage.

3–6 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene 1

Tragedy

pp. 235–246

Literary Study: Analyzing foil Reading: Making and verifying predictions. Reading: Understanding connotation and denotation.

The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer

2–6

Myth

pp. 247–258

Literary Study: Analyzing plot pattern archetype. Reading: Making inferences about characters. Reading: Understanding usage.

Comparing Literature: Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother AND John Henry AND A Song of Greatness Comparing Literature: What I Have Been Doing Lately AND People at Night AND The Dream

3–7

Legend AND Tall Tale AND Traditional Song

pp. 259–272, 314

Literary Study: Analyzing suspense. Literary Study: Comparing cultural beliefs. Reading: Synthesizing. Reading: Understanding synonyms.

3–7

Short Story pp. 273–286 AND Poetry

Literary Study: Identifying stream of consciousness. Reading: Interpreting imagery. Reading: Understanding analogies. Reading: Comparing description.

Functional pp. 287–294, 315 Documents

Reading: Making generalizations. Reading: Distinguishing fact and opinion. Reading: Developing workplace vocabulary. Reading: Identifying literal and figurative meanings of words.

Functional Documents: 1–4 Lesson 1

T19



Pacing/ Days

Functional Documents: 2–5 Lesson 2 Total: 53–150 days

T20

Genre


Functional pp. 295–304 Documents

Commonly Tested Objectives Reading: Identifying sequence. Reading: Summarizing. Reading: Developing workplace vocabulary.

Why Use This Book? Read for Fun and Read to Learn! The notes and features of Read and Write will help you read and understand each literature and nonfiction selection. As you use these notes and features, you practice the skills and strategies that good readers use when they read.

Before You Read

Connect

Before You Read

The Cask of Amontillado

Before you read, think about your own experiences. Share your knowledge and opinions.

Connect to the Story What kind of injury would make someone want to take revenge? If you think revenge is never an option, explain why. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Circle the number of the response that is closest to your own. 1. If someone does terrible things to you, you should be able to take revenge. 2. Revenge is pointless; it cannot really make up for anything.

Build Background Build on what you know about the selection topic.

Build Background ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

At carnival time, people often wear costumes. The story takes place in an Italian palazzo, or mansion. The mansion has catacombs, which are underground burial chambers. Catacombs could be reached by climbing down narrow staircases. The catacombs were lined with hollowed-out nooks where the remains of the dead were put. A cask of Amontillado is a barrel of Spanish wine.

Now, write a short summary of the facts you just read. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set your purpose for reading, so you can plan how you’ll read.

Set Purposes for Reading In this short story, one man exacts a horrible revenge on another who he feels has injured him. Ask yourself what could have offended him so deeply that he needed to take such revenge. Try to find the reasons in the text as you read.

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Literary Element and Reading Strategy Literary Element

Learning about literary elements helps you to learn about important features of literature. Reading skills help you develop good strategies to understand what you read.

Mood

Mood is the overall feeling or emotion that a literary text creates for readers. A writer’s diction, or choice of words, helps to create mood. Knowing that the story is set in a catacomb and involves revenge, what type of mood would you predict the writer wants to create? Write your answer on the line below. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Paraphrase Paraphrasing is putting a text into your own words. Unlike a summary, a paraphrase does not highlight the main points of the text. It restates a passage to make it clearer. As you read, make a chart like the one below on a separate sheet of paper to help paraphrase difficult sentences with unfamiliar vocabulary in your own words. A sample paraphrase has been done for you. Author’s Words

Paraphrase

A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

A wrong isn’t righted if the avenger gets caught. The object of the revenge must know who is taking revenge and why.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Learning new vocabulary helps prepare you to read.

Context Clues

A word’s context is the sentence or paragraph in which the word appears. Often the context can help a reader understand the meanings of difficult words. Some common context clues include the following: ➤

definitions or synonyms

➤

examples

➤

contrast clues (opposite meanings)

➤

descriptions

➤

modifying words or phrases

In the following example, study the underlined part of the passage from the text. Identify how this context relates to the boldfaced vocabulary word. Then write what type of context clue it is on the line below.

Vocabulary preclude (pri kloodʼ) v. to prevent; to make impossible impunity (im pŪʼ nə tē) n. freedom from punishment, harm, or bad consequences accost (ə kôstʼ) v. to approach and speak to, especially in an aggressive manner explicit (eks plisʼ it) adj. definitely stated, clearly expressed implore (im plorʼ) v. to ask earnestly, to beg

“I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes the redresser.” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________



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T23

Read, Respond, Interact Notes support you as you read. Interact with and respond to the text by answering questions and reading information.

During Reading The Cask of Amontillado Reading Strategy Paraphrase Rephrase this highlighted sentence in your own words. To whom might Montresor be speaking? _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary preclude (pri kloodʼ) v. to prevent; to make impossible impunity (im pŪʼ nə tē) n. freedom from punishment, harm, or bad consequences

Read and Discuss boxes give you a chance to share your thoughts and opinions with a partner.

The thousand injuries of Fortunato1 I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled—but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.2 It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good-will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.3 He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship4 in wine. Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity—to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionnaires. In painting and gemmary Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack—but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially: I was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.

Vocabulary appears on the same page as the new word.

Vocabulary Skill Word Parts The word impunity is related to the word punishment. The prefix im- adds a negative or opposite meaning to the root pun-, so that impunity means “safe from punishment.” On the lines below, rewrite the sentence in which the word impunity appears in your own words. ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________

The Cask of Amontillado 1. Fortunato (fôrˊ too nä̈ʼ tō)̄ 2. [A wrong is . . . done the wrong.] These sentences might be rephrased this way: “A wrong is not avenged if the avenger either is punished for taking revenge or does not make the wrongdoer aware that he is taking revenge.” 3. Here, immolation means “death or destruction.” 4. Connoisseurship is expert knowledge that qualifies one to pass judgment in a particular area.

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Questions about the Reading Strategy allow you to practice this feature.

Footnotes define terms in the text.

2/13/08

It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. The man wore motley.5 He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand. I said to him: “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How 3:27:35 PM remarkably well you are looking today! But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado,6 and I have my doubts.” “How?” said he. “Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival!” “I have my doubts,” I replied; “and I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain.” “Amontillado!” “I have my doubts.” “Amontillado!” “And I must satisfy them.” “Amontillado!” “As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi.7 If anyone has a critical turn, it is he. He will tell me——” “Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry.” “And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own.” “Come, let us go.” “Whither?” “To your vaults.” “My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement. Luchesi—” “I have no engagement;—come.” “My friend, no. It is not the engagement, but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted. The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with niter.”8 “Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado.”

Vocabulary accost (ə kôstʼ) v. to approach and speak to, especially in an aggressive manner

Read and Discuss With a partner, read the dialogue between Fortunato and Montresor aloud. Discuss why you think Montresor repeatedly refuses to take Fortunato into the vaults. ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________

5. Motley is the multicolored costume of a court jester or clown. 6. A pipe is a wine barrel that holds 126 gallons. Amontillado is a kind of pale, dry sherry from Spain. 7. Luchesi (loo kāˊ sē) 8. Niter is a salt-like substance found in cool, damp places.



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Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a long row of its fellows that lay upon the mold. “Drink,” I said, presenting him the wine. He raised it to his lips with a leer. He paused and nodded to me familiarly, while his bells jingled. “I drink,” he said, “to the buried that repose13 around us.” “And I to your long life.” He again took my arm, and we proceeded. “These vaults,” he said, “are extensive.” “The Montresors,” I replied, “were a great and numerous family.” “I forget your arms.”14 “A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant15 whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.” “And the motto?” “Nemo me impune lacessit.”16 coat of arms “Good!” he said. The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled. My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc. We had passed through walls of piled bones, with casks and puncheons17 intermingling, into the inmost recesses of the catacombs. I paused again, and this time I made bold to seize Fortunato by an arm above the elbow.

Literary Element Mood What mood does Poe create for the reader in this scene? Put a check in the box next to your answer below. ■ The reader feels hopeful about Fortunato’s recovery. ■ The reader wonders what will happen when Fortunato tastes the Amontillado. ■ The reader believes that something bad will happen to Fortunato.

Questions about the Literary Element allow you to practice this feature.

13. To repose is to lie at rest either sleeping or in death. 14. Arms is short for “coat of arms,” an arrangement of figures and symbols on or around a shield that, along with a motto, represents one’s ancestory. 15. The Montresor family’s coat of arms includes a golden foot on a sky-blue background and a snake rising up. 16. The motto is Latin for “Nobody provokes me with impunity.” 17. Casks and puncheons are large containers for storing liquids.

While you read, Reading Check boxes help you to check your comprehension.

READING CHECK Summarize Do you understand what is happening in the first part of this story? Read as far as the sentence beginning “Be it so.” Summarize the beginning part of the story in your own words. What has happened so far? ______________________________________________________

That One Man’s Profit Is Another’s Loss

Note Taking

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Reread the text on the left. Then record your answers to the items below.

______________________________________________________

1. Montaigne believes that if someone is condemned for profiting from someone’s loss, then The Cask of Amontillado

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_____________________________________________________________________________________________ . This is because _______________________________________________________________________________ .


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2. According to Montaigne, if you look within yourself you will see ____________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

3. As I read this page, one thing I learned that I didn’t know before is _________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

4. Recap, or write in your own words, what you learned by reading this page. __________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Summarize below what you have learned thus far by reading this page. _____________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

You can respond to and interact with nonfiction text on special Note Taking pages.

That One Man’s Profit Is Another’s Loss

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Show What You Know After reading activities help you focus your understanding of the text. Here, you apply the skills and strategies you practiced during reading.

After Reading

Connect, Literary Element, and Reading Strategy allow you to check your responses that you gave before reading to see if your thoughts or opinions have changed after reading.

After You Read

The Cask of Amontillado Connect to the Story Look back at the possible reasons for revenge that you suggested on page 2. The chart below lists two facts from the story. Write down a possible reason for revenge that corresponds to each fact. Detail from the Story

Possible Reasons For Revenge

Fortunato considers himself knowledgeable about wines. Fortunato is rich.

Literary Element

Vocabulary shows how well you learned the new vocabulary.

Mood

In what way does the mood of Poe’s story contribute to the story’s effect on the reader? On the lines below, indicate how each detail contributes to the story’s mood. Detail

Mood Created

▲

The two men walk ever deeper into the vaults.

▲

Niter grows on the vault’s walls.

After You Read

Reading Strategy Paraphrase


The chart below contains quotations from the story. Paraphrase the quotations and indicate why they are important to the plot of “The Cask of Amontillado.” Quotation

Paraphrase

Vocabulary

What it means

“And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own.”

impunity

“Its walls had been lined with human remains piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris.”

preclude

explicit

accost

implore

A. Word Meaning Use the boldfaced vocabulary words to fill in the blanks in the following paragraph.

“The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labors and sat down upon the bones.”

1. Montresor should realize he cannot kill with ______________ because the law could catch up with him. 2. Police officers could be waiting outside his palazzo to ______________ him. 3. As the story’s narrator, Montresor is ______________ with the reader about his plans to harm Fortunato.

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______________ his plans for Fortunato. 5. Why didn’t Fortunato ______________ Montresor to spare his life? B. Context Clues Underline the context clues in each of the following sentences that help you to determine the meaning of the boldfaced word. Then explain your choices on the lines below.

After You Read


1. Wanting the lead role, the aggressive actor made plans to accost the director of the school play on his way home.

Sensory Details Chart Sometimes a chart can help you organize facts or details from a text. Sensory details are words and phrases an author uses to help create mood and bring to mind the five senses—seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting. Sensory details make writing come alive and help the reader imagine what is being described. For each of the senses named below, add details from the story that appeal to that sense. An example has been done for you. Sight

Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Some students felt that Jake’s bad grades should preclude him from being considered for the lead role. Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. The director had left no doubt in his students’ minds about his requirements; he had been explicit about them.

Niter like moss on walls

Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Jake was eager to play the part of Montresor in The Cask of Amontillado. In fact, he implored the director to give me the part. Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________ Sound


Touch


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Activities help you to organize what you learned about the selection.

Taste

Smell

Many other activities also appear in the back of your book.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 1–12 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing mood. Reading: Analyzing cultural context.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Story Direct attention to the Build Background material on page 2 that includes the information that R. K. Narayan wanted his stories to both entertain and inform. Point out that writing about a make-believe village rather than a real one allowed Narayan the freedom to create whatever characters, situations, conflicts, and resolutions he chose. Ask: What is an astrologer? If students do not know, explain that an astrologer is a person who supposedly uses the stars to tell people’s fortunes. Have students consider the title of the story. Ask: What do you think the story will be about? (Students may guess that it will be about something that happens to an astrologer during one day.) To stimulate students’ interest, mention that, in addition to humor, “An Astrologer’s Day” includes mystery, suspense, and a surprise ending.

An Astrologer’s Day by R. K. Narayan

An Astrologer's Day

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk about the Story

Literary Element • Mood

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Word Origins • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Analyze Cultural Context

Language Note • African American Vernacular English: /i/ and /e/ before /m/ and /n/

Writing Link • Descriptive Paragraph Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (comma)

BLM Word Study • Root Words and Word Origins BLM BLM Grammar Link • Commas Before And, But, and Or BLM

Technology • Student Works™ Plus • Teacher Works™ Plus • Listening Library Audio CD • Classroom Presentation Toolkit • Glencoe Visual Vocabulary • Skill Level Up!™ A Skill-Based Language Arts Game

An Astrologer's Day

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Before You Read

Before You Read


Connect to the Short Story In “An Astrologer’s Day,” R. K. Narayan presents an experience that overtakes a fortuneteller who practices his trade in a city marketplace. The following words and phrases list key elements from the beginning of the story in the order in which they occur.

Connect to the Story Ask students to write their paragraphs and discuss them in small groups. If students have difficulty understanding the connections among the clues, point out that they are listed in sequential order and that students’ paragraphs should include the clues in the same order. Start them out with this sentence: An astrologer tells fortunes in a city marketplace.

•

astrologer

•

city marketplace

•

fled village

•

shrewd guesswork

•

careful listening

•

human nature

Work with a partner to brainstorm possible ways to connect this chain of clues. Then write a one-paragraph version of what they reveal about the character of the astrologer. Possible answer: An astrologer tells fortunes in a city marketplace. He fled his village to come to the city. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

He tells fortunes by shrewd guesswork, listening carefully, and using his knowledge of human nature. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

After reading the Building Background information together, discuss students’ predictions. Establish likely possibilities: the story will contain humor as well as some insight into human behavior, and the confrontation will probably involve fortune telling.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background •

R. K. Narayan enjoyed writing stories that both entertain and inform readers.

•

Most of his stories, including “An Astrologer’s Day,” take place in a make-believe Indian village.

•


Many of these stories are comical accounts about individuals who are trying to find peace in a restless world.

•

Astrology is a type of fortune telling. Some astrologers claim that they can predict a person’s future.

Suggest that students keep track of details in the story that either confirm or deviate from their predictions.

Now, use information from Connect to the Story and Build Background to make a prediction about what might happen in the story. Possible answer: The astrologer will play a trick on a person who asks him to predict the future. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading In this short story, Narayan’s fortune-teller must think quickly when he is suddenly confronted by someone from his past. Read to find out how closely your prediction matches what happens in the story.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Mood

Mood is the atmosphere that a writer creates in a story. The mood that the writer creates helps readers identify with the emotions that the characters experience as they react to their surroundings. Writers use language, subject matter, setting, diction, and tone to help convey a particular mood. What situations in everyday life put you in a happy, sad, angry, nervous, or other mood? What words or phrases would you use to describe your feelings and behavior during such times? Work with a partner to make a list of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that describe your mood in a variety of situations.

Literary Element Mood Encourage students to focus on words and phrases that convey clear, specific, vivid ideas. Give examples of general, vague words and their more vivid counterparts, such as the general words went, mad, happy; and specific words: raced, furious, delighted. Solicit student examples and discuss them.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context When you analyze cultural context, you pay attention to the details that reveal the setting, dress, speech, mannerisms, and behaviors of a particular group of people at a particular time in history. “An Astrologer’s Day” takes place in a village in India during the 1940s. What do you already know about the people and customs of India during this period? What would you like to learn? Create a chart like the one shown below to record your thoughts. You can complete the third column of the chart after reading the story.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context

What I Know

What I Want to Learn

What I Learned

Students’ entries will likely be based on information learned from movies, TV documentaries, and academic or personal reading.

Entries will vary depending on the information provided in the first column.

Entries should include details about the marketplace, the astrologer’s appearance, and daily life.

Vocabulary

Stimulate students’ thinking by discussing Indian settings in movies, television shows, and books with which students might be familiar, and invite students who have firsthand knowledge of Indian culture to share what they know.

Word Origins

The origin and history of a word is called its etymology. You can find a word’s etymology in a dictionary, usually at the beginning or end of an entry. For the vocabulary word enhance, write its definition on the line after it. Then find the word’s etymology in a dictionary. Write the word’s origin and its meaning on the line after the word from. to make greater from _____________________ ME enhaucen to raise enhance ________________

Vocabulary enhance (en hansʼ) v. to make greater, as in beauty or value impetuous (im pechʼ oō əs) adj. rash paraphernalia (parʼ ə fər nālʼ yə) n. things used in a particular activity; equipment piqued (pēkt) adj. aroused in anger; offended incantation (inʼ kan tāʼ shən) n. words spoken in casting a spell

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: When you enhance something, you make it greater by adding beauty or value to it. Example: Reading the book on which a movie is based can enhance your appreciation of the story. Ask: What can merchants do to enhance the value of a product they sell? EXAMPLE

An impetuous act is rash and passionate; it is often not well thought out beforehand. The impetuous way that he proposed marriage had almost frightened his fiancé. What kind of behavior is the opposite of impetuous? ANTONYM A dentist’s paraphernalia might include his drill and polishing tools. He did not bring his snorkel and mask, and without this paraphernalia he could not inspect the wreck. What is another word for paraphernalia?

One is piqued when one has been annoyed or insulted. I was piqued that my friend arrived hours too late for dinner. Describe a time when you felt piqued. DESCRIPTION An incantation is a spoken or chanted magical spell. The comedy featured a witch who cleaned her house with an incantation. What is another example of the use of an incantation? EXAMPLE

SYNONYM

An Astrologer's Day

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An Astrologer's Day

Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk

Vocabulary enhance (en hansʼ) v. to make greater, as in beauty or value

Monitor pairs as they read and discuss the passage, helping out with difficult pronunciations, defining unfamiliar words, and identifying details to be underlined.

Read and Discuss Read the opening of the story out loud with a partner, up to and including the sentence that begins “People were attracted to him.” As you read, underline details that describe the astrologer. Then discuss with your partner why people would be attracted to him. How does the way he presents himself— his features and the clothes he wears—suit his profession? Write your answer on the lines below.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Some students might enjoy sketching of the marketplace based on the description. Display the sketches in class and discuss how each one relates to the description in the story.

Punctually at midday he opened his bag and spread out his professional equipment, which consisted of a dozen cowrie1 shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, a notebook and a bundle of palmyra writing. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion,2 and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position—placed as they were between the painted forehead and the dark whiskers which streamed down his cheeks: even a halfwit’s eyes would sparkle in such a setting. To crown the effect he wound a saffron-colored3 turban around his head. This color scheme never failed. People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahlia stalks. He sat under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through the Town Hall Park. It was a remarkable place in many ways: a surging crowd was always moving up and down this narrow road morning till night. A variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way: medicine-sellers, sellers of stolen hardware and junk, magicians and, above all, an auctioneer of cheap cloth, who created enough din all day to attract the whole town. Next to him in vociferousness4 came a vendor of fried groundnuts, who gave his ware a fancy name each day, calling

His exotic appearance ____________________________ would inspire people to ____________________________ have confidence in his ____________________________ abilities as an astrologer. ____________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Underline the words and phrases in the highlighted passage that help you picture the marketplace.

1. A cowrie (kauʼ rē) is a small snail commonly found in warm, shallow waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. 2. Here, obscure means “difficult to understand” and mystic means “having hidden or secret meanings.” Palmyra (pal mı̄ʼ ra) refers to paper made from the leaves of the palmyra tree. The man’s forehead is full of splendor (resplendent) in that it is painted with dark ash and a red pigment called vermilion. 3. Saffron is an orange-yellow color. 4. Vociferousness (vō sifʼ ər əs nəs) means “noise outcrying.”

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Language Note African American Vernacular English: /i/ and /e/ before /m/ and /n/ As in the South generally, speakers of African American vernacular English do not distinguish between /i/ and /e/ before the nasal consonants /m/ and /n/, so that pin and pen, him and hem sound the same. Most of the time the vowel will sound like –in for both words, but sometimes –en will be used for both. Many speakers of African American vernacular English do not hear a difference between /i/ and /e/ in these words. This kind of pronunciation is heard among most educated speakers in the South, even those who are not speakers of AAVE. Point out the word din in the passage above. Have student volunteers read the passage being careful to correctly pronounce din. Then have them pronounce both din and den, being careful to distinguish the different vowel sounds.

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An Astrologer's Day it Bombay Ice Cream one day, and on the next Delhi Almond, and on the third Raja’s Delicacy, and so on and so forth, and people flocked to him. A considerable portion of this crowd dallied before the astrologer too. The astrologer transacted his business by the light of a flare which crackled and smoked up above the groundnut5 heap nearby. Half the enchantment of the place was due to the fact that it did not have the benefit of municipal lighting. The place was lit up by shop lights. One or two had hissing gaslights, some had naked flares stuck on poles, some were lit up by old cycle lamps and one or two, like the astrologer’s, managed without lights of their own. It was a bewildering criss-cross of light rays and moving shadows. This suited the astrologer very well, for the simple reason that he had not in the least intended to be an astrologer when he began life; and he knew no more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen to himself next minute. He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers. Yet he said things which pleased and astonished everyone: that was more a matter of study, practice and shrewd guesswork. All the same, it was as much an honest man’s labor as any other, and he deserved the wages he carried home at the end of a day. He had left his village without any previous thought or plan. If he had continued there he would have carried on the work of his forefathers—namely, tilling the land, living, marrying and ripening in his cornfield and ancestral home. But that was not to be. He had to leave home without telling anyone, and he could not rest till he left it behind a couple of hundred miles. To a villager it is a great deal, as if an ocean flowed between. He had a working analysis of mankind’s troubles: marriage, money and the tangles of human ties. Long practice had sharpened his perception. Within five minutes he understood what was wrong. He charged three pice6 per question and never opened his mouth till the other had spoken for at least ten minutes, which provided him enough stuff for a dozen answers and advices. When he told the person before him, gazing at his palm, “In many ways you are not getting the fullest results for your efforts,” nine out of ten were disposed to agree with him. Or he questioned: “Is there any woman in your family, maybe

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context What kind of life would the astrologer have led if he had remained in his village? Write your answer on the lines below.

He would have been a farmer _______________________________ and would have lived in the _______________________________

Interactive Question-Response

family home after marrying. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context If students have difficulty understanding the phrase ancestral home, explain that it refers to the astrologer’s family home, the one in which he grew up.

Literary Element Mood Literary Element Mood The description of the marketplace setting at the beginning of the story creates a positive, festive mood. Now you learn that the astrologer had to flee his village without telling anyone. How does this information affect that mood? Write your answer on the line below.

Review the terms flashback and foreshadowing with students. Then point out that the background information that the author supplies about the astrologer functions as a kind of flashback and that the author uses this information to foreshadow the serious turn that the story will take.

It introduces an element of _______________________________ mystery and suspense. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

5. Groundnuts are peanuts. 6. A pice is a coin of India of very small value.

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Word Study

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BLM

Root Words and Word Origins Write the following etymology on the board for the word resplendent (on page 4): [ME < OFr < Lat resplendere, “to shine brightly]. Explain the meaning of the abbreviations ME (“Middle English,” English from 1100 to 1500), OFr (“Old French,” French from the ninth to the sixeenth century), and Lat (“Latin”). Explain that the symbol < means “from.” Ask: What language is the most recent source of resplendent? (Middle English) What language is the earliest source of resplendent? (Latin) Then have students practice identifying word origins by completing the activity on page A2.

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An Astrologer's Day Vocabulary impetuous (im pechʼ oo əs) adj. rash

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Mood Discuss the significance of the information in the highlighted passage. The astrologer is surrounded by almost total darkness. The little light that remains is blocked by the stranger standing in front of the astrologer, and the stranger acts in a gruff manner. Ask: Based on this information, do you think this encounter will be a pleasant one or an unpleasant one? (probably unpleasant)

Vocabulary paraphernalia (parʼ ə fər nālʼ yə̄) n. things used in a particular activity; equipment

Literary Element Mood Underline the clues in the highlighted passage that suggest something serious is about to take place.

Vocabulary piqued (pēkt) adj. aroused in anger; offended

Vocabulary Word Origins

Vocabulary Skill Word Origins Pique comes from a French word meaning “to prick or sting.” In what sense does the astrologer feel stung? Circle the best answer below.

If students have difficulty understanding the connection between the meaning of the origin word (“to prick or sting”) and the meaning of pique, explain that the word stung has a figurative meaning here—the astrologer feels emotionally stung.

He feels flattered. He feels insulted. He feels ignored

even a distant relative, who is not well disposed7 towards you?” Or he gave an analysis of character: “Most of your troubles are due to your nature. How can you be otherwise with Saturn where he is? You have an impetuous nature and a rough exterior.” This endeared him to their hearts immediately, for even the mildest of us loves to think that he has a forbidding exterior. The nuts-vendor blew out his flare and rose to go home. This was a signal for the astrologer to bundle up too, since it left him in darkness except for a little shaft of green light which strayed in from somewhere and touched the ground before him. He picked up his cowrie shells and paraphernalia and was putting them back into his bag when the green shaft of light was blotted out; he looked up and saw a man standing before him. He sensed a possible client and said: “You look so careworn. It will do you good to sit down for a while and chat with me.” The other grumbled some vague reply. The astrologer pressed his invitation; whereupon the other thrust his palm under his nose, saying: “You call yourself an astrologer?” The astrologer felt challenged and said, tilting the other’s palm towards the green shaft of light: “Yours is a nature . . .” “Oh, stop that,” the other said. “Tell me something worthwhile. . . .” Our friend felt piqued. “I charge only three pice per question, and what you get ought to be good enough for your money. . . .” At this the other withdrew his arm, took out an anna and flung it out to him, saying, “I have some questions to ask. If I prove you are bluffing, you must return that anna to me with interest.” “If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees?” “No.” “Or will you give me eight annas?”8 “All right, provided you give me twice as much if you are wrong,” said the stranger. This pact was accepted after a little further argument. The astrologer sent up a prayer to heaven as the other lit a cheroot.9 The astrologer caught a glimpse of his face by the matchlight. There was a pause as cars hooted on the road, jutka10 drivers swore at their horses and the babble of the crowd agitated the semi-darkness of the park. The other sat down, sucking his cheroot, puffing out, sat there ruthlessly. The astrologer felt very uncomfortable. “Here, take your anna back. I am not used to such challenges. It is late for me today. . . .” 7. In this paragraph, disposed is used twice with slightly different meanings. The first time, you might substitute likely or inclined. The second time, substitute favorable for the phrase “well disposed.” 8. The anna is a former coin of India that was equal to four pice. The rupee is a coin equal to sixteen annas. 9. A cheroot (shə rootʼ) is a cigar cut square at both ends. 10. A jutka (jootʼ kə) is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle.

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An Astrologer's Day He made preparations to bundle up. The other held his wrist and said, “You can’t get out of it now. You dragged me in while I was passing.” The astrologer shivered in his grip; and his voice shook and became faint. “Leave me today. I will speak to you tomorrow.” The other thrust his palm in his face and said, “Challenge is challenge. Go on.” The astrologer proceeded with his throat drying up. “There is a woman . . .” “Stop,” said the other. “I don’t want all that. Shall I succeed in my present search or not? Answer this and go. Otherwise I will not let you go till you disgorge11 all your coins.” The astrologer muttered a few incantations and replied, “All right. I will speak. But will you give me a rupee if what I say is convincing? Otherwise I will not open my mouth, and you may do what you like.” After a good deal of haggling the other agreed. The astrologer said, “You were left for dead. Am I right?” “Ah, tell me more.” “A knife has passed through you once?” said the astrologer. “Good fellow!” He bared his chest to show the scar. “What else?” “And then you were pushed into a well nearby in the field. You were left for dead.”

Literary Element Mood When the astrologer catches a glimpse of the stranger in the match light, he becomes uncomfortable. What details in this description heighten the mood of discomfort? List them on the lines below.

His pause; cars hooting; mad, _______________________________ jutka drivers swearing; and _______________________________ the babble agitating the _______________________________ semi-darkness _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

11. Here, disgorge means “to give up or hand over.”

READING CHECK

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Mood Help students identify details to be listed. Then draw attention to the sentence that begins “There was a pause.” Have students explain the significance of the pause. Point out that the pause occurs immediately after the astrologer has glimpsed the stranger’s face, and indicates that the astrologer has made some kind of recognition—perhaps that the stranger represents a threat of some kind.

Vocabulary incantation (inʼ kan tāʼ shən) n. words spoken in casting a spell

Question Why do you think the astrologer becomes uncomfortable and tries to leave after he has caught a glimpse of the stranger’s face? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible answer: The astrologer recognizes the stranger ______________________________________________________ as someone he wants to avoid. The stranger may have ______________________________________________________ something to do with the circumstances that caused the ______________________________________________________ astrologer to flee his village. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question Encourage students to connect the astrologer’s discomfort to the information previously provided about his past. Point out that authors do not provide background information haphazardly. It is there for a reason. Suggest that students think about how the stranger might be related to the astrologer’s past: Model I wonder if the astrologer cheated the stranger sometime in the past.

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An Astrologer's Day Read and Discuss Read out loud the advice that the astrologer gives to Guru Nayak. Then discuss these questions with a partner: How is it possible that the astrologer knows the stranger’s name? Why do you think he advises Guru Nayak to return to his village immediately and never come back? Write your answers on the lines below.

Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk

Possible answers: The ____________________________ astrologer recognizes the ____________________________

Pairs should be able to guess correctly that the astrologer knows the stranger. If they have trouble with the second question in this activity, lead them to understand that, for whatever reason, the astrologer perceives Guru Nayak to be a danger to him and wants to get rid of him.

stranger. He is probably the ____________________________ man who fought with the ____________________________ stranger. He probably advises ____________________________ the stranger to leave because ____________________________ he wants to get rid of him ____________________________ and not meet him again. ____________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Reading Strategy

Remind students that they can use the details they find here to help fill in the third column of the chart described on the Before You Read pages.

Analyze Cultural Context What details of Indian culture are mentioned on this page? Write some examples on the lines below.

Possible examples: the sacred _______________________________ ash, the use of lorries (long flat _______________________________ trucks), annas (former Indian _______________________________

“I should have been dead if some passerby had not chanced to peep into the well,” exclaimed the other, overwhelmed by enthusiasm. “When shall I get at him?” he asked, clenching his fist. “In the next world,” answered the astrologer. “He died four months ago in a far-off town. You will never see any more of him.” The other groaned on hearing it. The astrologer proceeded. “Guru Nayak—” “You know my name!” the other said, taken aback.12 “As I know all other things. Guru Nayak, listen carefully to what I have to say. Your village is two days’ journey due north of this town. Take the next train and be gone. I see once again great danger to your life if you go from home.” He took out a pinch of sacred ash and held it out to him. “Rub it on your forehead and go home. Never travel southward again, and you will live to be a hundred.” “Why should I leave home again?” the other said reflectively.13 “I was only going away now and then to look for him and to choke out his life if I met him.” He shook his head regretfully. “He has escaped my hands. I hope at least he died as he deserved.”“Yes,” said the astrologer. “He was crushed under a lorry.”14 The other looked gratified to hear it. The place was deserted by the time the astrologer picked up his articles and put them into his bag. The green shaft was also gone, leaving the place in darkness and silence. The stranger had gone off into the night, after giving the astrologer a handful of coins. It was nearly midnight when the astrologer reached home. His wife was waiting for him at the door and demanded an explanation. He flung the coins at her and said, “Count them. One man gave all that.” “Twelve and a half annas,” she said, counting. She was overjoyed. “I can buy some jaggery15 and coconut tomorrow. The child has been asking for sweets for so many days now. I will prepare some nice stuff for her.” “The swine has cheated me! He promised me a rupee,” said the astrologer. She looked up at him. “You look worried. What is wrong?” “Nothing.”

coins), and jaggery (unrefined _______________________________ sugar made from palm tree sap) _______________________________

12. The expression taken aback means “suddenly surprised or startled.” 13. Here, reflectively (ri flekʼ tiv lē) means “in a way that shows serious and careful consideration.” 14. Here, a lorry is a long, flat, horse-drawn wagon. 15. Jaggery is unrefined sugar made from palm tree sap.

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Fluency Expression and Intonation: Punctuation Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on pausing when they come to a comma. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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An Astrologer's Day After dinner, sitting on the pyol,16 he told her, “Do you know a great load is gone from me today? I thought I had the blood of a man on my hands all these years. That was the reason why I ran away from home, settled here and married you. He is alive.” She gasped, “You tried to kill!” “Yes, in our village, when I was a silly youngster. We drank, gambled and quarreled badly one day—why think of it now? Time to sleep,” he said, yawning, and stretched himself on the pyol.

Literary Element


Mood What change in mood occurs at the end of the story? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible answer: The tense _______________________________ atmosphere disappears. The _______________________________ mood becomes calm, relaxed. _______________________________ The astrologer has rid his mind _______________________________ of something that had haunted _______________________________ him and feels he has escaped _______________________________ a threat. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Literary Element Mood Make sure that all the students understand the surprise twist at the end, which causes the dramatic change in mood. Ask: Who is Guru Nayak? (He is the man the astrologer believed he had killed.) Why is the astrologer relieved now? (He knows that Nayak is alive.) Why do you think the astrologer seems pleased with himself? (He believes that he has stopped Nayak from seeking revenge on him.)

_______________________________

16. A pyol (pı̄ʼ ôl) is a low bench.

READING CHECK Summarize Why is the astrologer relieved and at ease at the end of the story? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible answer: He knows he is not a murderer and ______________________________________________________ believes he probably does not need to fear revenge. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize Use students’ answers to the Reading Check question as a springboard for discussing the character of the astrologer. Ask them to offer their impressions of him. What was their attitude toward him at the beginning of the story? during his meeting with Guru Nayak? at the end of the story? Did their impressions change? If so, in what ways?

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After You Read


After You Read

Connect to the Short Story Review the paragraph you prepared for the activity on page 2. Does your description of the astrologer’s character match the story’s description? If not, rewrite your paragraph on the lines below to reflect what you learned about him.

Literary Element Mood

Students’ revised paragraphs should reflect a reasonable variation of the sample paragraph provided on _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have students use the Literary Element activity as a springboard for discussing the degree to which mood contributes to the appeal of this story. Urge them to touch on a variety of elements that affect or are affected by the mood, including the foreign setting, the exotic appearance and character of the astrologer, the suspenseful plot, and the surprise ending.

page 2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element

Mood

Mood helps readers imagine the feeling of being in a scene and experiencing the events as the characters do. The mood in “An Astrologer’s Day” changes several times in the course of the story. What mood is created at the beginning of the story? On the lines below, list some words or phrases that convey this mood. The mood is lively. Words and phrases include punctually, resplendent, sparkled, people were attracted to _________________________________________________________________________________________________

him, remarkable place, surging crowd, din, vociferousness, people flocked to him. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ How does the mood change when the astrologer encounters Guru Nayak? What details convey this change? The mood becomes more serious. Details include light was blotted out, careworn, grumbled, astrologer felt _________________________________________________________________________________________________

challenged, piqued, caught a glimpse, semi-darkness, sat ruthlessly, uncomfortable. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ How does the mood change again at the end of the story? What details convey this change? The tension eases and there is a mood of calm. Details include a great load is gone, silly, and yawning. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Use information you learned from the story to fill in the last column of the chart that you began at the start of this lesson. What details about life in India during the 1940s are different from life in America today? The clothing, horse-drawn vehicles, groundnuts, and flares are some examples. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ What details are similar to your experiences today? The wide variety of merchandise, the surging crowds and noise level, and the general festive atmosphere are _________________________________________________________________________________________________ characteristics typical of outdoor marketplaces today. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Commas Before And, But, and Or Prepare students to complete the activity on page A3. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read


After You Read

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Circle the answer that best fits the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary word in each sentence.

Academic Vocabulary

1. The cook added seasoning to the soup to enhance its flavor. a weaken

c make greater

b slightly change

d sweeten

Write the following sentence on the board: Readers must decide for themselves whether the astrologer’s youth at the time of his crime against Guru Nayak can, in any way, negate his guilt.

2. The impetuous camper ate all his rations before he realized there would be none left for the next day. a rash

c experienced

b thoughtful

d uninformed

Explain that negate is an academic word. Other words that are similar in meaning are deny and abolish.

3. The photographer arrived early in order to set up the paraphernalia she would need for the photo shoot. a pictures

c furniture

b equipment

d partitions

Have students work in pairs to look up negate in a dictionary.

4. The boy’s disruptive behavior in class piqued the teacher. a embarrassed

c alarmed

b amused

d offended

Have students work together to write a definition of negate in their own words. Then have them write an answer to this question: What would you do to negate an unjust sentence in a court of law?

5. The priest chanted an incantation to rid the child of the evil spirits that possessed her. a a spoken spell

c a stern warning

b a soothing lullaby

d a brief sermon

B. Word Origins Match each origin word listed below with its correct meaning. Write the letter of the origin word on the line next to its meaning. Then complete each sentence with the vocabulary word that is derived from the origin word. a. enhauncen

b. impetus

c. parapherne

d. piquer

e. incantare

d piqued 1. to sting ______________ The audience was ______________ by the speaker’s rude comments. c 2. bride’s property beyond dowry ______________ The athlete’s exercise paraphernalia occupied more than half of her bedroom. ______________ e 3. to enchant ______________ The tribe’s holy man delivered an incantation to bring rain. ______________

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Writing Link Paragraph Ask students to think of a specific place that they like and know well. Tell them to write a paragraph of no more than 150 words describing that place. Have them create a topic sentence that establishes the mood that this place typically has for them. Encourage them to use vivid, specific words that not only describe the physical setting but also convey the mood. An effective paragraph should • describe a place that the writer knows well • include a topic sentence that establishes mood • use vivid, specific descriptive words • stay within the space limit

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After You Read

After You Read


Web Diagram Web diagrams provide a simple, visually helpful way to organize a variety of details that illustrate a single subject. Review the information you have learned about Indian culture in “An Astrologer’s Day.” Then fill in the three ovals in the web diagram below with descriptive details of the marketplace, the astrologer’s appearance, and other aspects of Indian life.

Cultural Details in “An Astrologer’s Day”

Marketplace tamarind trees in a park narrow road surging crowds; noise merchants selling medicine, cloth, hardware, junk, groundnuts gaslights and flares horse-drawn vehicles: jutkas, lorries

Astrologer’s appearance has painted ash and vermilion on forehead eyes sparkle with abnormal gleam dark whiskers; saffron turban

Other aspects of Indian life farming forms of money: pice, annas, rupees paper made from palmyra leaves bartering for goods or services jaggery: unrefined sugar from palm tree sap pyol: low bench long enough to recline on

Possible description: is vivid and interesting and makes his story Narayan’s use of details of Indian culture ______________________________________________________________ seem very real. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 13–26 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Library Study: Analyzing implied theme. Reading: Making inferences about theme.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Story Remind students that a short story is a work of fiction intended to express the author’s ideas in a narrative form. Note that Gabriel García Márquez has written both novels and short stories. Point out that in an interview in 1998, he called “Tuesday Siesta” the best of the short stories he has written. He said that he got the idea from his own experience: Once during the hottest part of the day, he saw a woman and girl walk by, dressed in black. He later expanded that single image into this story. Have students look at the title of the story. Explain that in Spanish-speaking countries, the siesta is a rest during the middle of the day, a time of refuge from the afternoon heat. Ask: What does the title “Tuesday Siesta” suggest about what you are about to read? (It suggests that the story happens on a Tuesday during the siesta.)

Tuesday Siesta

by Gabriel García Márquez

Tuesday Siesta

013-026_G10_APP_TuesdaySiesta.in13 13

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Story

Literary Element • Implied Theme

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Word Parts • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Make Inferences about Theme

Language Note • African American Vernacular English

Writing Link • Journal Entry

Word Study • Multiple Meaning Words BLM • Word Families BLM

BLM

BLM Grammar Link • Action Verbs and Direct Objects BLM


Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Dialogue

Tuesday Siesta

13

Before You Read

Before You Read

Tuesday Siesta

Connect to the Short Story A death usually prompts mourning and sadness. What other experiences and emotions might follow a death? For example, a person might be worried about money to pay for the funeral, or troubled with regrets about the person who has died. In the left column of the chart below, record either a real or imaginary situation involving a death. In the right column note some emotions that such a situation might prompt.

Connect to the Story Have students work in small groups as they fill out the chart. If they are having difficulty, suggest possible approaches to the topic. For example, ask students to imagine that they know they will meet someone at the funeral who has had a big fight with the person who died. Ask students how they would feel about that. Model I would probably be angry at the person, but I wouldn’t want to be disrespectful at a funeral.

Experience

Build Background

I might feel that . . .

Build Background

Read through the Build Background items with students. Help them to focus on García Márquez’s background as a person who is aware of social realities and inequalities in his home country.

•

Latin American author Gabriel García Márquez was raised by his grandparents, who gave him a love of folktales and storytelling.

•

His grandfather also helped his grandson understand how poor people suffer under oppressive leaders.

•

García Márquez wrote newspaper articles attacking government corruption.

Based on the information above, which of the following types of story would you expect “Tuesday Siesta” to be? Place a check in the box next to your answer.


■ ■ ✓ ■

Clarify for students that a tragedy is a sequence of events with sad or even disastrous consequences. Explain that often in literature the person who suffers the tragic results cannot avoid them for one reason or another. Ask: Can you think of other stories that include tragic events? Describe one. Model In Romeo and Juliet, the young lovers both die because the friar’s letter explaining how they can escape doesn’t get to Romeo. Ask students to be on the watch for the tragic elements in this story as they read.

a science fiction story set on Mars? an adventure story about explorers in the Arctic? a realistic story about everyday people in Latin America?

Underline words and phrases in the Build Background statements above that support your answer.

Set Purposes for Reading In “Tuesday Siesta,” García Márquez describes how a woman and her daughter travel to a town where the woman’s son has recently died. They are clearly mourning a lost loved one, but their situation involves other issues and emotions besides sadness too. Read to learn how this poor family confronts tragedy, both in the aftermath of a death and in the time that led up to the death. Look for surprises and unexpected truths about people as the story unfolds.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Implied Theme

The theme is the central idea an author wants people to understand when reading a story. It often reveals something true about life. Writers rarely state the theme in so many words. Instead, they imply, or hint, the theme using setting, characters, plot, and dialogue. As you read, an understanding of the implied theme may come to you. To help this process, pause once on each page at an important point and ask yourself one of the following questions: •

Why does this character do or say this?

•

Why did the author decide to describe this?

Literary Element Implied Theme Remind students that the theme answers the question What does this story mean? If possible, ask them to recall the theme of another story they have read recently. Remind them of the sorts of details that helped them identify that story’s theme and encourage them to look for similar kinds of clues in “Tuesday Siesta.”

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme To infer is to make a reasonable guess about what something means, using the information available and your own knowledge. As you read and collect the questions and answers described above, keep in mind that your own knowledge and experiences can help you draw conclusions about the story’s meaning.

Vocabulary

Word Parts

Read the vocabulary words and definitions out loud. Remember that prefixes, suffixes, and roots are the building blocks of words and can help you figure out what unfamiliar words mean. In this vocabulary list, two words share the same prefix, two share the same suffix, and two share the same root. Write down the shared word parts, along with what each means. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary.

Vocabulary interminable (in turʼ mi nə bəl) adj. endless, or at least seeming to last forever

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme

serenity (sə renʼ ə tē) n. calmness; peacefulness scrutinize (skrootʼ ən ı̄zˊ) v. to examine carefully and in detail

words: interminable, inscrutable

inscrutable (in skrooʼ tə bəl) adj. impossible to understand or interpret

innot shared prefix: ________ prefix meaning: ________________

To help students practice making inferences, pose theoretical situations and challenge them to draw conclusions. For example, you might describe a person coming into the room holding a folded umbrella with droplets of water on it. What can they infer about the weather, even if they haven’t looked out the window lately? It must be raining.

skeptical (skepˊ ti kəl) adj. doubtful; suspicious

words: interminable, inscrutable -able shared suffix: ________

able to be suffix meaning: ________________________

words: inscrutable, scrutinize scrut shared root: ________

examine, look at carefully root meaning: ________________________

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below.

holidays. What word would you use for a feeling that is the opposite of serenity? ANTONYM

Define: Something that seems like it’s going to go on forever is interminable. Example: My parents took us on an interminable hike up a mountain last summer. Ask: Have you had any interminable experiences? What were they and what made them feel so long? EXPLANATION

If you scrutinize something, you look it over very carefully and with great attention to detail. He said he had skinned his knee, but you had to scrutinize his skin to see the tiny little wound. You could scrutinize something under a microscope. Describe other actions a person might perform to scrutinize something.

You experience serenity when you are feeling calm and peaceful. There is no serenity to be found in airport waiting rooms during the

DESCRIPTION

Something is inscrutable if it is impossible to say what it means. My sister specializes in making up inscrutable riddles. Can you give an example of a time when you felt something was inscrutable? EXAMPLE If you suspect something you’ve been told isn’t true, you are feeling skeptical. I told the teacher the dog ate my homework, but he was skeptical. How does the word skeptical compare to the word gullible? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Tuesday Siesta

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Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta


Vocabulary interminable (in turʼ mi nə bəl) adj. endless, or at least seeming to last forever

Read and Discuss

Vocabulary

Working with a partner, take turns reading the first two paragraphs of the story aloud. When you read, take care to speak slowly and clearly. When you listen, visualize the scene being described. Think not only of the sights (such as the symmetrical rows of banana trees) but also of the sounds (of the train) and details having to do with touch (such as the humid air).

Note that the word interminable often describes a person’s perception of a situation, rather than the reality. Ask: Were there really endless numbers of banana plantations? (No. Eventually the plantations would have to stop.)

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students are having difficulty, work with them as a group. Read the paragraph aloud to them and then model one or two of the sensual details included before having students contribute their ideas. Write all these elements on the board so they can see the list. Finally, take a moment and ask the students to imagine what such a scene would look and feel like if they were there.

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme What does this suggest about the characters’ lives and their state of mind? Write your answer on the lines below. What words in the sentence support your ideas? Underline them in the text.

The train emerged from the quivering tunnel of sandy rocks, began to cross the symmetrical, interminable banana plantations, and the air became humid and they couldn’t feel the sea breeze any more. A stifling blast of smoke came in the car window. On the narrow road parallel to the railway there were oxcarts loaded with green bunches of bananas. Beyond the road, in uncultivated spaces set at odd intervals there were offices with electric fans, red-brick buildings, and residences with chairs and little white tables on the terraces among dusty palm trees and rosebushes. It was eleven in the morning, and the heat had not yet begun. “You’d better close the window,” the woman said. “Your hair will get full of soot.” The girl tried to, but the shade wouldn’t move because of the rust. They were the only passengers in the lone third-class car. Since the smoke of the locomotive kept coming through the window, the girl left her seat and put down the only things they had with them: a plastic sack with some things to eat and a bouquet of flowers wrapped in newspaper. She sat on the opposite seat, away from the window, facing her mother. They were both in severe and poor mourning clothes. The girl was twelve years old, and it was the first time she’d ever been on a train. The woman seemed too old to be her mother, because of the blue veins on her eyelids and her small, soft, and shapeless body, in a dress cut like a cassock. She was riding with her spinal cassock column braced firmly against the back of

Possible answer: The women _______________________________

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme If students have difficulty with the question, Ask: If the women are wearing poor mourning clothes, rather than fancy ones, what do you think this says about how much money they have? (They don’t have much money.) How do people who are in mourning usually feel? (They usually feel sad.)

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are poor and probably sad _______________________________ because someone close to _______________________________ them has died. _______________________________

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Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta the seat, and held a peeling patent-leather handbag in her lap with both hands. She bore the conscientious serenity of someone accustomed to poverty. By twelve the heat had begun. The train stopped for ten minutes to take on water at a station where there was no town. Outside, in the mysterious silence of the plantations, the shadows seemed clean. But the still air inside the car smelled like untanned leather. The train did not pick up speed. It stopped at two identical towns with wooden houses painted bright colors. The woman’s head nodded and she sank into sleep. The girl took off her shoes. Then she went to the washroom to put the bouquet of flowers in some water. When she came back to her seat, her mother was waiting to eat. She gave her a piece of cheese, half a corn-meal pancake, and a cookie, and took an equal portion out of the plastic sack for herself. While they ate, the train crossed an iron bridge very slowly and passed a town just like the ones before, except that in this one there was a crowd in the plaza. A band was playing a lively tune under the oppressive sun. At the other side of town the plantations ended in a plain which was cracked from the drought. The woman stopped eating. “Put on your shoes,” she said. The girl looked outside. She saw nothing but the deserted plain, where the train began to pick up speed again, but she put the last piece of cookie into the sack and quickly put on her shoes. The woman gave her a comb. “Comb your hair,” she said. The train whistle began to blow while the girl was combing her hair. The woman dried the sweat from her neck and wiped the oil from her face with her fingers. When the girl stopped combing, the train was passing the outlying houses of a town larger but sadder than the earlier ones. “If you feel like doing anything, do it now,” said the woman. “Later, don’t take a drink anywhere even if you’re dying of thirst. Above all, no crying.” The girl nodded her head. A dry, burning wind came in the window, together with the locomotive’s whistle and the clatter of the old cars. The woman folded the plastic bag with the rest of the food and put it in the handbag. For a moment a complete picture of the town, on that bright August Tuesday, shone in

Vocabulary serenity (sə renʼ ə tē) n. calmness; peacefulness

Interactive Question-Response Vocabulary

Literary Element Implied Theme What do the woman and girl do as the train ride comes to an end? Underline the words that tell you what they do. Why do you think they do this? Put a check in the box next to the best answer below.

■ ✓ ■ ■ ■

They are in a happy mood. They want to look more respectable. They are going to a party. They got messy as they ate.

Tuesday Siesta


Point out that Gárcia Márquez uses an adjective to describe the mother’s serene manner. Ask: What kind of serenity does he say she has? (conscientious serenity.) Have students look up the word conscientious in the dictionary and try to describe the attitude of conscientious serenity in their own words. Model Conscientious serenity is acting calm because you think you ought to behave that way.

Literary Element Implied Theme If students need help with their responses, ask them to review text between the woman’s command “Put on your shoes” and the words “sadder than the earlier ones.” Have them underline any passages that describe actions the woman and girl perform, then choose the ones that have to do with their appearance.

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Language Note African American Vernacular English: Consonant Clusters Speakers of African American vernacular English may tend to drop the final sound in certain consonant clusters. For example, the word just would be pronounced jus’. Ask students to read the sentence in the second paragraph that begins “While they ate . . .” aloud. Have them speak slowly and clearly, using standard English pronunciations.

Tuesday Siesta

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Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme Remind students that inferring information requires them to use their own experience in life as well as the facts they are given. Ask: Have you ever used a strategy similar to this woman’s? If students are not sure how to answer, model a possible response from your own experience. Model Sometimes I really don’t feel like talking on the phone, so I try to return a phone call at a time when I might get the other person’s voice mail.

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme The siesta, or midday rest, is a common part of the daily routine in Latin American countries, so the woman would have known that her visit would take place while the town was quiet and at rest. What can you infer about the woman’s intentions? Complete the sentence frame below. The woman plans to arrive during the siesta and leave before it ends because

Possible answer: She wants _______________________________ privacy for what she has to do. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

the window. The girl wrapped the flowers in the soaking-wet newspapers, moved a little farther away from the window, and stared at her mother. She received a pleasant expression in return. The train began to whistle and slowed down. A moment later it stopped. There was no one at the station. On the other side of the street, on the sidewalk shaded by the almond trees, only the pool hall was open. The town was floating in the heat. The woman and the girl got off the train and crossed the abandoned station—the tiles split apart by the grass growing up between— and over to the shady side of the street. It was almost two. At that hour, weighted down by drowsiness, the town was taking a siesta. The stores, the town offices, the public school were closed at eleven, and didn’t reopen until a little before four, when the train went back. Only the hotel across from the station, with its bar and pool hall, and the telegraph office at one side of the plaza stayed open. The houses, most of them built on the banana company’s model, had their doors locked from inside and their blinds drawn. In some of them it was so hot that the residents ate lunch in the patio. Others leaned a chair against the wall, in the shade of the almond trees, and took their siesta right out in the street. Keeping to the protective shade of the almond trees, the woman and the girl entered the town without disturbing the siesta. They went directly to the parish house.1 The woman scratched the metal grating on the door with her fingernail, waited a moment, and scratched again. An electric fan was humming inside. They did not hear the steps. They hardly heard the slight creaking of a door, and immediately a cautious voice, right next to the metal grating: “Who is it?” The woman tried to see through the grating. “I need the priest,” she said. “He’s sleeping now.” “It’s an emergency,” the woman insisted. Her voice showed a calm determination. The door was opened a little way, noiselessly, and a plump, older woman appeared, with very pale skin and hair the color of iron. Her eyes seemed too small behind her thick eyeglasses. “Come in,” she said, and opened the door all the way.

1. A parish is the district (often a town) served by a church. The parish house is where the priest at that local church lives.

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Fluency Expression and Intonation: Dialogue Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on changing their voices for different characters and to apply what they know about the characters. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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2/14/08 10:53:28 A

Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta They entered a room permeated with an old smell of flowers. The woman of the house led them to a wooden bench and signaled them to sit down. The girl did so, but her mother remained standing, absent-mindedly, with both hands clutching the handbag. No noise could be heard above the electric fan. The woman of the house reappeared at the door at the far end of the room. “He says you should come back after three,” she said in a very low voice. “He just lay down five minutes ago.” “The train leaves at three-thirty,” said the woman. It was a brief and self-assured reply, but her voice remained pleasant, full of undertones.2 The woman of the house smiled for the first time. “All right,” she said. When the far door closed again, the woman sat down next to her daughter. The narrow waiting room was poor, neat, and clean. On the other side of the wooden railing which divided the room, there was a worktable, a plain one with an oilcloth cover, and on top of the table a primitive typewriter next to a vase of flowers. The parish records were beyond. You could see that it was an office kept in order by a spinster.3

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Implied Theme Why do you think the woman would finally smile at this point? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible answer: She is _______________________________ relieved to hear that the _______________________________ woman and girl are there for _______________________________ a short time only, that they do _______________________________ not intend to make trouble. _______________________________ _______________________________

2. In this sense, undertones are meanings that are implied by the way someone says something. 3. In a literal sense, a spinster is a woman who spins thread to make cloth. Often, as here, it is used to mean a woman who has never been married.

_______________________________ _______________________________

Literary Element Implied Theme If students are having difficulty, talk about the different kinds of emotions that cause a person to smile. Ask: What is the first emotion you think of when you think of smiling. (The most likely answer is happiness.) What other emotions might cause someone to smile? (Possible answers include politeness, relief, and trying to appear happy even when you are not.) Talk about which of these reasons best suit the situation described.

READING CHECK Question Review the page above to remind yourself what the woman does when she gets to the door of the parish house and write the answer below. She scratches on the metal grate. ______________________________________________________ How does her action fit in with what you have learned so far about the woman? Explain your ideas on the lines below. Possible answer: She wants her visit to be as quiet as ______________________________________________________ possible; she does not want to make trouble. ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question If students are having difficulty with the question, ask them what they normally expect someone to do when they reach the door of a house they’re visiting: Model I’d normally think they’d knock or ring a doorbell. Ask: Why do you think the woman does not do that? (Possible answers include that there is no doorbell, that the custom in that place might be to scratch on something like the woman does, and that she didn’t want to make a lot of noise.)

Tuesday Siesta

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Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta Reading Strategy


Make Inferences About Theme Why would it be easier to infer the family resemblance after the priest puts on his glasses? Write your answer on the lines below.

The woman of the house was _______________________________ also wearing glasses, so the _______________________________ two would look more alike if _______________________________

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme If students are having difficulty with the question, Ask: Do you know people who are related who look alike? Do they sometimes look more alike than others? If necessary: Model My brother and sister used to look a lot like each other, until my sister decided to color her hair red.

they both had glasses on. _______________________________

Vocabulary scrutinize (skrootʼ ən ı̄zˊ) v. to examine carefully and in detail

Read and Discuss This paragraph includes description of all three people in the room. Reread it carefully. What does each of them do, and what might that action reveal about the character? For example, the priest stares at the woman and blushes, because he may be embarrassed. Discuss your ideas with a partner.

Vocabulary Draw students’ attention to the suffix –ize at the end of scrutinize. Explain that this suffix is used to turn words into verbs. Ask: What noun is related to the verb scrutinize? (scrutiny.) Challenge students to think of other verbs that end in -ize and then identify the word associated with that verb. (Possible answers include harmonize/harmony, strategize/strategy, and tranquilize/tranquil.)

The mother answers questions without hesitating because she wants to show she is worthy of respect. The daughter slips off her shoes, because maybe her feet hurt.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students are having difficulty with the question, have them work in groups of three to examine the paragraph. After they review the text, tell them each to choose a role and to improvise the scene described. Finally, ask them each to talk about their insights into the character they just portrayed. Based on their discussion, they can then collaborate to answer the question.

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The far door opened and this time the priest appeared, cleaning his glasses with a handkerchief. Only when he put them on was it evident that he was the brother of the woman who had opened the door. “How can I help you?” he asked. “The keys to the cemetery,” said the woman. The girl was seated with the flowers in her lap and her feet crossed under the bench. The priest looked at her, then looked at the woman, and then through the wire mesh of the window at the bright, cloudless sky. “In this heat,” he said. “You could have waited until the sun went down.” The woman moved her head silently. The priest crossed to the other side of the railing, took out of the cabinet a notebook covered in oilcloth, a wooden penholder, and an inkwell, and sat down at the table. There was more than enough hair on his hands to account for what was missing on his head. “Which grave are you going to visit?” he asked. “Carlos Centeno’s,” said the woman. “Who?” “Carlos Centeno,” the woman repeated. The priest still did not understand. “He’s the thief who was killed here last week,” said the woman in the same tone of voice. “I am his mother.” The priest scrutinized her. She stared at him with quiet selfcontrol, and the Father blushed. He lowered his head and began to write. As he filled the page, he asked the woman to identify herself, and she replied unhesitatingly, with precise details, as if she were reading them. The Father began to sweat. The girl unhooked the buckle of her left shoe, slipped her heel out of it, and rested it on the bench rail. She did the same with the right one. It had all started the Monday of the previous week, at three in the morning, a few blocks from there. Rebecca, a lonely widow who lived in a house full of odds and ends, heard above the sound of the drizzling rain someone trying to force the front door from outside. She got up, rummaged around in her closet for an ancient revolver that no one had fired since the days of Colonel Aureliano Buendía,4 and went into the living room without turning on the lights. Orienting herself not so much by

4. Aureliano Buendía (ou rā lyä nō bwan dē ä) is a character in García Márquez’s famous novel One Hundred Years of Solitude.

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2/14/08 10:53:31 A

Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta the noise at the lock as by a terror developed in her by twentyeight years of loneliness, she fixed in her imagination not only the spot where the door was but also the exact height of the lock. She clutched the weapon with both hands, closed her eyes, and squeezed the trigger. It was the first time in her life that she had fired a gun. Immediately after the explosion, she could hear nothing except the murmur of the drizzle on the galvanized roof. Then she heard a little metallic bump on the cement porch, and a very low voice, pleasant but terribly exhausted: “Ah, Mother.” The man they found dead in front of the house in the morning, his nose blown to bits, wore a flannel shirt with colored stripes, everyday pants with a rope for a belt, and was barefoot. No one in town knew him. “So his name was Carlos Centeno,” murmured the Father when he finished writing. “Centeno Ayala,”5 said the woman. “He was my only boy.” The priest went back to the cabinet. Two big rusty keys hung on the inside of the door; the girl imagined, as her mother had when she was a girl and as the priest himself must have imagined at some time, that they were Saint Peter’s keys.6 He took them down, put them on the open notebook on the railing, and pointed with his forefinger to a place on the page he had just written, looking at the woman. “Sign here.” The woman scribbled her name, holding the handbag under her arm. The girl picked up the flowers, came to the railing shuffling her feet, and watched her mother attentively. The priest sighed. “Didn’t you ever try to get him on the right track?” The woman answered when she finished signing. “He was a very good man.” The priest looked first at the woman and then at the girl, and realized with a kind of pious7 amazement that they were not about to cry. The woman continued in the same tone: “I told him never to steal anything that anyone needed to eat, and he minded me. On the other hand, before, when he used to box, he used to spend three days in bed, exhausted from being punched.” 5. [Ayala] The young man’s full name was Carlos Centeno Ayala (sen tāʼnō ä yaʼ lə). In Spanish-speaking countries, a person’s name consists of the first name, the father’s last name, and the mother’s maiden name (her last name before she married). The person’s official last name is still considered to be the father’s name, even though it comes second to last in the full name. 6. Saint Peter’s keys refers to a scene in the Bible in which Jesus says he will give Saint Peter the keys to the gates of heaven. Often in Christian artwork Saint Peter is shown holding a key or receiving it from Jesus. 7. The word pious (pı̄ʼ əs) means religious or godly, although sometimes it is used to describe fake expressions of religious devotion.

Literary Element Implied Theme To contradict means to introduce something that is inconsistent with what might be expected. Authors sometimes use contradictions to hint at the theme by showing that a situation is not what it seems on the surface. What facts in this sentence contradict your expectations of what a thief is like? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible answer: His voice is _______________________________ pleasant and that he calls out _______________________________ for his mother. _______________________________

What might this imply about the theme? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible answer: The theme _______________________________ could be that thieves are not _______________________________

Word Study

Literary Element Implied Theme If necessary to help students answer the questions, read the highlighted sentence out loud, emphasizing the words pleasant and “Ah, Mother.” Ask them what qualities they would expect in a house robber: Model I would think they would be pretty tough and dangerous. They might yell or fight if they were shot.

necessarily bad people. _______________________________

Literary Element Implied Theme What is surprising about this statement? Considering what you have learned about the mother so far, are you inclined to believe her when she says this? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible answer: It is surprising _______________________________ to think of a thief as being a _______________________________ “very good person.” But so far _______________________________

Literary Element Implied Theme If students are having difficulty with the question, Ask: How do you feel about the woman as a person—do you trust her? (Many students will say they do.) Ask students to explain their answers one way or another: Model She has behaved with a lot of control and dignity, so I trust her opinion.

the woman has been dignified _______________________________ and respectable; her statement _______________________________ is believable. _______________________________

Tuesday Siesta



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BLM

Multiple-Meaning Words Draw students’ attention to the word right in the priest’s question. Ask: What other word besides right could be used to ask this question? (Possible answer: “correct.”) Could you substitute that same word in the sentence She took off her right shoe? (No, the meanings are different.) What about in the sentence I’m coming right away? (Again, the meanings are different.) Have students focus on other words that have multiple meanings by completing the activity on page A5.

Tuesday Siesta

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Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta Reading Strategy

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme If students are having difficulty with the question, ask them to imagine their parents telling them that the food they are about to eat for dinner is stolen. Ask them how they would feel about eating the food if they were very hungry. Model I’d feel bad eating stolen food, but if I were hungry I’d understand why I had to do it. Now ask them to imagine that they are in the mother’s place as they answer the question.

Making Inferences About Theme In this sentence, the mother describes how she felt eating food that had been paid for with money her son earned fighting. What can you infer from her statement? On the lines below, make a list of as many ideas as you can. Possible answer:

•_______________________________ The mother thought often (with every bite) of her son’s _______________________________ pain. _______________________________ •_______________________________ She did not like to eat the food. _______________________________ •_______________________________ She must have eaten it because she had no other _______________________________ choice—they were too poor. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

“All his teeth had to be pulled out,” interrupted the girl. “That’s right,” the woman agreed. “Every mouthful I ate those days tasted of the beatings my son got on Saturday nights.” “God’s will is inscrutable,” said the Father. But he said it without much conviction, partly because experience had made him a little skeptical and partly because of the heat. He suggested that they cover their heads to guard against sunstroke. Yawning, and now almost completely asleep, he gave them instructions about how to find Carlos Centeno’s grave. When they came back, they didn’t have to knock. They should put the key under the door; and in the same place, if they could, they should put an offering for the Church. The woman listened to his directions with great attention, but thanked him without smiling. The Father had noticed that there was someone looking inside, his nose pressed against the metal grating, even before he opened the door to the street. Outside was a group of children. When the door was opened wide, the children scattered. Ordinarily, at that hour there was no one in the street. Now there were not only children. There were groups of people under the almond trees. The Father scanned the street swimming in the heat and then he understood. Softly, he closed the door again. “Wait a moment,” he said without looking at the woman. His sister appeared at the far door with a black jacket over her nightshirt and her hair down over her shoulders. She looked silently at the Father. “What was it?” he asked. “The people have noticed,” murmured his sister.

_______________________________

Vocabulary Review the meaning of inscrutable with students. Ask them to rephrase the priest’s statement in using a different word (or words) instead of inscrutable. (Possible answers include “God’s will is mysterious” and “God’s will is unknowable.)

Vocabulary inscrutable (in skrooʼ tə bəl) adj. impossible to understand or interpret

Vocabulary skeptical (skepʼ ti kəl) adj. doubtful; suspicious

Vocabulary Note that when García Márquez says that the priest is skeptical, he is pointing out something that might be a little bit unexpected about him. One of the things a priest is expected to have is faith, or belief, which is the opposite of skepticism (or being skeptical).

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Word Study

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BLM

Word Families Draw students’ attention to the word interrupted and explain that the root of this word is rupt, from the Latin verb rumpere, which means “to break.” Challenge them to think of at least one other word in the rupt family. (Possible answers include abrupt, corrupt, disrupt, erupt, and rupture.) Have students practice recognizing other word families by completing the activity on page A4.

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Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta “You’d better go out by the door to the patio,” said the Father. “It’s the same there,” said his sister. “Everybody is at the windows.” The woman seemed not to have understood until then. She tried to look into the street through the metal grating. Then she took the bouquet of flowers from the girl and began to move toward the door. The girl followed her. “Wait until the sun goes down,” said the Father. “You’ll melt,” said his sister, motionless at the back of the room. “Wait and I’ll lend you a parasol.” “Thank you,” replied the woman. “We’re all right this way. She took the girl by the hand and went into the street.

Reading Strategy Making Inferences About Theme In this passage, the author introduces a contradiction between what the sister says and her actions. What is the contradiction? What might this suggest about her intentions? Write your answer on the lines below.

The contradiction is that she _______________________________ offers help but does not move. _______________________________ This could suggest that she _______________________________ does not really want to help _______________________________ the visitors. _______________________________ _______________________________

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme If students have trouble with this question, help them to get started with their answers. Ask: What does the sister offer to do? (Lend the two visitors a parasol.) What does she do after she offers to lend the parasol? (She does not move.) Do you believe she really means to give them the parasol? (Many students will say they would expect her to go get it right away.)

_______________________________

READING CHECK

_______________________________

Summarize On the lines below, write a brief summary of this story. Possible summary: A mother and her daughter come to town ______________________________________________________ during the siesta. They plan to visit the grave of her son, ______________________________________________________ who was killed a few days earlier while trying to rob an old ______________________________________________________ woman. The mother and daughter stop at the priest’s house ______________________________________________________ to get the key to the graveyard and then go on to the grave. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Tuesday Siesta


2/14/08 10:53:38 AM

Reading Check Summarize If students have difficulty writing a summary, suggest that they begin by filling out a 5Ws chart to help them identify the most important details. Demonstrate the process by writing a chart like the one below on the board and filling in the details relating to the dead thief’s crime. Who

the son (Carlos); Rebecca (widow)

Where at Rebecca’s front door, a few blocks from the parish house When

Monday of the previous week, 3:00 A.M.

What

Carlos came to steal from Rebecca, and she shot him before he got through the front door.

Why

Carlos was poor and needed money; Rebecca was afraid that he meant to hurt her.

Tuesday Siesta

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After You Read

After You Read

Tuesday Siesta

Connect to the Short Story Look back at the chart you created on page 14. Now that you know more about the woman’s son, imagine that you are in her place. What emotions would you feel as you traveled to visit his grave? Write your answer on the lines below.

Connect to the Story

Possible response: I would feel sadness and regret, but also some satisfaction that my son had not _________________________________________________________________________________________________

After students have answered the questions, have them work in pairs to imagine a scene between the mother and her son in which the two talk about his decision to become a thief. Students might choose to write out their scene, as if it is a part of the short story, or they could create an improvised performance. Ask students to share their work with classmates.

disobeyed what I had told him about not stealing anything that someone needed to eat. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Imagine that you are the son. Why might you have made the same choices in life? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible response: I might have made the same choices because taking chances being a thief might have _________________________________________________________________________________________________ seemed a better way out of poverty than getting beaten up as a boxer. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element

Implied Theme

Look over the questions and answers you compiled as you read “Tuesday Siesta.” Are you still satisfied with your original answers? If the ending of the story has changed your ideas, adjust your answers.

Reading Strategy Making Inferences About Theme Working with another student, share your lists of questions and discuss your answers. • Did your partner ask some of the same questions? If so, were their answers the same? Talk about the similarities and differences and see if you can agree on the most reasonable answer. • What about the questions our partner asked that were different from yours? Do you agree with the answers? Why or why not?

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Action Verbs and Direct Objects Prepare students to complete the activity on page A6. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read

After You Read

Tuesday Siesta

Vocabulary interminable

serenity

scrutinize

inscrutable

skeptical

Academic Vocabulary

A. Word Meaning Each phrase that follows can be associated with one of the vocabulary words above. The phrases are not the same as a definition of the word, but they are related. Match the phrases and words and then write a sentence that includes both the vocabulary word and the phrase. The first one has been completed for you as an example:

Write the following sentence on the board: It was necessary for the mother to visit the priest in order to locate her son’s grave.

inscrutable secret code ______________

Explain that the verb locate is an academic word that means nearly the same thing as find, with an emphasis on geographical position. Note that in casual speech when people are asking where they can find someone, they will often say, “Where are you located?” Emphasize that this phrasing is casual, not academic. Ask: Now that you know the meaning of locate, what would you say is the meaning of location? (The place where something can be found, its position.)

write my diary in secret code, so it will be inscrutable to anyone who finds it. Sentence: I____________________________________________________________________________________ serenity 1. quiet forest ______________ serenity of the quiet forest soothed my nerves. Sentence: The __________________________________________________________________________________ interminable 2. period of time ______________ The period of time during which we waited for our lunch seemed interminable. Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________ skeptical 3. opinionated person ______________ I am always very skeptical of an opinionated person. Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________ scrutinize 4. tiny flaw ______________ The judges will scrutinize our performances carefully, looking for any tiny flaw. Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________

B. Word Parts Changing the suffix on a word can change its part of speech. For example, the word interminable is an adjective, but you can change its suffix to create the adverb interminably. An example of a sentence using interminably would be: “It took an interminably long time for me to finish my book report last night.” Change the words below into the part of speech indicated and then use the new word in a sentence. serene 1. Change the noun serenity into an adjective: ______________ How can you stay so serene in the midst of all this noise and confusion? Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________ scrutiny 2. Change the verb scrutinize into a noun: ______________ scrutiny of her fellow contestants made the young performer feel very uncomfortable. Sentence: The __________________________________________________________________________________

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Writing Link Journal Entry Ask students to imagine that they are one of the characters in the story—this might also include the son, Carlos. Have them write a one-page journal entry from the point of view of that person, discussing their feelings about something mentioned in the story. For example, a journal entry from Carlos’s point of view might talk about how he felt having to turn to stealing to make a living. A journal entry from the priest’s sister’s point of view might tell what she thought of the two sad visitors who came to the house on their way to the cemetery. Have students share their work with classmates. An effective journal entry should • adopt the persona of one of the characters • explore the feelings of this character • comment on the events of the story from this point of view • stay within the space limit Tuesday Siesta

25

After You Read

After You Read

Tuesday Siesta

Cluster Diagram A cluster diagram can be a helpful way to show how many different details can all contribute to one central idea. Review your questions and answers relating to details and events from the story and how they might contribute to the implied theme. Choose the most meaningful details and create a cluster diagram, grouping them around a central box that contains your idea of the story’s theme.

Story Detail #1

Story Detail #2

Possible answer: The mother and daughter are poor, but they always behave with pride and dignity.

Possible answer: Carlos does not carry a weapon when he goes to rob the house, so he does not intend to hurt anyone.

Implied Theme Poverty can limit the choices people have in life, making it more likely that even good people may choose the wrong path. Poor people still have pride and deserve respect.

Story Detail #3 Possible answer: Carlos’s voice is pleasant, and he calls for his mother as he dies.

Story Detail #4 Possible answer: Before turning to crime, Carlos tried to support his family by boxing, but he always suffered injuries at the matches.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 27–50 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing theme. Reading: Comparing and contrasting characters.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Story Remind students that a short story is a work of fiction. Tell them that even though the narrator may speak in the first person, using the word I to refer to himself or herself, that does not mean that the author is telling a true story. Remind students that authors often use facts from history or from their own experience as they create fictional characters. Point out that the first-person narrator in the story is named Lilia, not Jhumpa. The author has used a historical backdrop to tell a fictional story. Ask: What do you know about the history of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India in the twentieth century? (Students may know that Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of India at one time.)

When Mr. Pirzada

Came to Dine

by Jhumpa Lahiri


027_050_G10_APP_Pirzada.indd 27

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Literary Element • Theme

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Context Clues • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Compare and Contrast Characters


Writing Link • Anecdote

BLM Word Study • Prefixes and Suffixes BLM • Context Meaning BLM BLM Grammar Link • Simple and Compound Sentences BLM


Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (period)


27

Before You Read

Before You Read

When Mr. Pirzada

Came to Dine

Connect to the Story Imagine that you are safe and secure with friends while your family is in danger in a distant country. Before you read the story, think about the following questions and write your responses on the lines below each one.

Connect to the Story Ask students to respond to the anticipation guide. Then have them discuss their answers with a partner or in small groups.

1. How would you feel in this situation? ______________________________________________________________ 2. How would you act around friends who knew you were worried? _______________________________________ 3. How much of your feelings would you reveal to your friends? __________________________________________

Build Background Read the Build Background note with students. Introduce the term partition, meaning “division.” Explain to students that the Partition of India refers to an historical event in which the former British colony of India was divided in 1947 into the present state of India and the two parts of Pakistan. Help them understand how difficult Partition was for the people involved. When India was divided along religious lines, people who lived in the wrong area were forced to move. Muslims moved to either part of Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs who were already living there moved to India. You may wish to point out the location of these areas on a world map, showing students that East Pakistan is now Bangladesh.


When British rule ended in India in 1947, India was divided along religious lines into two countries, India (for Hindus) and Pakistan (for Muslims).

•

East Pakistan and West Pakistan were on separate sides of the Indian subcontinent. Part of India was between them.

•

In 1971, when this story takes place, East Pakistan and West Pakistan were at war because East Pakistan wanted to be independent.

•

West Pakistan invaded East Pakistan, causing millions of East Pakistanis to flee to India.

•

India got involved, bringing a rapid end to the war. East Pakistan became the independent state of Bangladesh.

Write a two-sentence summary of what you just read. Possible summary: After British rule ended, India was divided into India, East Pakistan, and West Pakistan. A later ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ war between East Pakistan and West Pakistan resulted in the establishment of Bangladesh. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________



In this story, a war in his distant homeland leaves a visitor to the United States uncertain about the fate of his wife and daughter. Read to see how different characters in the story react to his situation.

Have partners develop a list of additional purposes for reading. Ask them what more they would like to know about the situation in Pakistan at that time, and encourage them to look for the answers to their questions as they read. 28


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Literary Element

Before You Read

Theme

A theme is the central message of a literary work. Usually, the theme is not stated directly by the author. Rather, it is revealed gradually, through plot events and characters’ observations. A literary work can have more than one theme. Discuss with a partner the theme or themes of a story you have both read recently. Answer the following questions, writing your answers on the lines below each one. •

What is the most important theme of the story?

Literary Element Theme

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ •

Ask students how they would define theme in their own words. Help students see that a theme is the central understanding about life that the author is trying to convey. Point out that a theme is not the same as a topic. The topic of a story might be traveling in a foreign land, for example. The theme might be that traveling is exciting and interesting, but sometimes the traveler misses loved ones back home.

How does the plot help reveal the theme? _________________________________________________________________________________________________

•

How do the characters’ observations help reveal the theme? _________________________________________________________________________________________________

•

Does the story have any minor themes? If so, what are they? _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters When you compare and contrast characters, you note what is alike about them and what is different. Comparing and contrasting characters gives you a better understanding of why they act as they do. To practice comparing and contrasting characters, complete a Venn diagram. In the middle section, write what is alike about you and a friend of yours. In the side sections, write what is special about each one of you. Later, you can complete a Venn diagram about characters in the story. Vocabulary

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Ask students how comparing and contrasting characters helps them understand the characters better.

ascertaining (asʼ ər tānʼ ing) v. finding out for sure

Vocabulary

austere (ôs tērʼ) adj. without decoration; very simple

Context Clues

When you come across an unfamiliar word, use context clues—the words and phrases surrounding the word—to determine its meaning. Look at the definitions and parts of speech for the words in the minor column of this page. Say each word. Then write it on the blank in the sentence. Circle the words in the sentence that provide context clues about the meaning of the word.

word ascertaining austere

impeccably (im pekʼ ə ble) adv. without error or flaw; perfectly imperceptible (imʼ pər sepʼ tə bəl) adj. not able to be seen or sensed

Vocabulary Context Clues

intimidation (in timʼ ə dä shən) n. the act of making one feel afraid or discouraged

Tell students that context clues come in different varieties. A context clue might be in the form of a synonym or an antonym. It might also be a definition or explanation, an example, or a description. Help them find context clues in the sentences on this page.

sentence ascertaining who committed the crime by talking to witnesses. The detective was ______________ austere Helen’s ______________ dress was plain gray, with no trim.

imperceptible

impeccably correct that he put everyone at ease. Don’s manners were so ______________ imperceptible , so we did not see it. The snake’s movement in the grass was ______________

intimidation

intimidation against him, Frank reported it to the principal. When the bully used ______________

impeccably

(Students should note that comparing and contrasting characters helps them to see what is unique about each character and what is similar about them.)



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: When you are ascertaining if something is true, you are finding out for sure. Example: The scientist used DNA evidence in ascertaining the identity of the criminal. Ask: What tools might help you in ascertaining the temperature of a pot of water? EXAMPLE

If you prefer austere surroundings, you like to keep your home simple. Tim’s austere living room has one couch, one table, and one small rug. What might you add to an austere room to make it less so? COMPARE AND CONTRAST When you do something impeccably, you make no mistakes. Natalie performed the dance routine impeccably and won the contest. Describe a time you saw someone perform impeccably. DESCRIPTION

Something that is imperceptible is not able to be noticed by the senses. The tree’s growth was imperceptible from day to day, but we noticed the change after a few months. Give an example of something that is the opposite of imperceptible. ANTONYM Intimidation is a tactic used by some people to put fear into other people. The boss used intimidation rather than rewards to get the workers to try harder. Give an example of the use of intimidation in sports. EXAMPLE


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When Mr. Pirzada



Came to Dine

Vocabulary ascertaining (asʼ ər tānʼ ing) v. finding out for sure

Context Clues Look at the way the word ascertaining is used in the highlighted text. Circle the context clues that help you determine its meaning.

Vocabulary Context Clues Point out to students that one way to remember the meaning of the word ascertaining is to notice that the word certain appears in the middle of it.

Literary Element Theme Point out to students that the contrast in settings is clear. Mr. Pirzada is living in a setting that is safe and secure, but his family is in a place that is dangerous and violent. Suggest that they continue to look for examples of the contrasting settings that affect Mr. Pirzada.

Literary Element Theme A theme in a story can often develop out of contrasts in settings. How would you describe life in Dacca? Complete the following sentence frame: Because of the war, life in Dacca had become

In the autumn of 1971 a man used to come to our house, bearing confections1 in his pocket and hopes of ascertaining the life or death of his family. His name was Mr. Pirzada, and he came from Dacca, now the capital of Bangladesh, but then a part of Pakistan. That year Pakistan was engaged in civil war. The eastern frontier, where Dacca was located, was fighting for autonomy2 from the ruling regime3 in the west. In March, Dacca had been invaded, torched, and shelled by the Pakistani army. Teachers were dragged onto streets and shot, women dragged into barracks and raped. By the end of the summer, three hundred thousand people were said to have died. In Dacca Mr. Pirzada had a three-story home, a lectureship in botany at the university, a wife of twenty years, and seven daughters between the ages of six and sixteen whose names all began with the letter A. “Their mother’s idea,” he explained one day, producing from his wallet a black-and-white picture of seven girls at a picnic, their braids tied with ribbons, sitting crosslegged in a row, eating chicken curry4 off of banana leaves. “How am I to distinguish? Ayesha, Amira, Amina, Aziza, you see the difficulty.” Each week Mr. Pirzada wrote letters to his wife, and sent comic books to each of his seven daughters, but the postal

Possible answer: dangerous _______________________________ and violent. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

1. 2. 3. 4.

Confections are sweets, such as candy or jam. To have autonomy is to have the right to self-rule. A regime (rə zhēmʼ) is a system of government. Chicken curry is chicken cooked with various spices. These spices can include curry powder, ginger, and turmeric.

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When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine system, along with most everything else in Dacca, had collapsed, and he had not heard word of them in over six months. Mr. Pirzada, meanwhile, was in America for the year, for he had been awarded a grant from the government of Pakistan to study the foliage5 of New England. In spring and summer he had gathered data in Vermont and Maine, and in autumn he moved to a university north of Boston, where we lived, to write a short book about his discoveries. The grant was a great honor, but when converted into dollars it was not generous. As a result, Mr. Pirzada lived in a room in a graduate dormitory,6 and did not own a proper stove or a television set of his own. And so he came to our house to eat dinner and watch the evening news. At first I knew nothing of the reason for his visits. I was ten years old, and was not surprised that my parents, who were from India, and had a number of Indian acquaintances at the university, should ask Mr. Pirzada to share our meals. It was a small campus, with narrow brick walkways and white pillared buildings, located on the fringes of what seemed to be an even smaller town. The supermarket did not carry mustard oil,7 doctors did not make house calls, neighbors never dropped by without an invitation, and of these things, every so often, my parents complained. In search of compatriots,8 they used to trail their fingers, at the start of each new semester, through the columns of the university directory, circling surnames9 familiar to their part of the world. It was in this manner that they discovered Mr. Pirzada, and phoned him, and invited him to our home. I have no memory of his first visit, or of his second or his third, but by the end of September I had grown so accustomed to Mr. Pirzada’s presence in our living room that one evening, as I was dropping ice cubes into the water pitcher, I asked my mother to hand me a fourth glass from a cupboard still out of my reach. She was busy at the stove, presiding over a skillet of fried spinach with radishes, and could not hear me because of the drone of the exhaust fan and the fierce scrapes of her spatula.10 I turned to my father, who was leaning against the refrigerator, eating spiced spatula cashews11 from a cupped fist. “What is it, Lilia?” “A glass for the Indian man.” Foliage (fōʼ lē ij) is the leaves on a tree or other plant. A dormitory is a building, as at a school or college, with many rooms for sleeping. Mustard oil is made from mustard seeds. It is used in cooking Indian foods. Compatriots are people from one’s home country. A surname is a person’s family name. A spatula is a cooking item. It has a broad flexible blade that is used to spread or mix food. 11. Cashews are nuts from the cashew tree. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.


Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students are having difficulty identifying details, work through the paragraph with them. Ask: What details in this paragraph indicate that Lilia’s parents are somewhat homesick for India? (They are unable to buy familiar foods; medical care and socializing are more formal.) Read and Discuss Read this paragraph aloud with a partner. As you read, underline details that reveal information about Lilia’s parents. Then discuss with your partner what these details suggest about them. Write your responses on the lines below.

Possible response: Lilia’s ____________________________ parents seem to miss certain ____________________________ aspects of life in India and ____________________________ that they seek out other ____________________________ people who have the same ____________________________ background. ____________________________



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Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Why does Lilia think that Mr. Pirzada is an Indian man? Write your answer on the lines below. Then, underline phrases in this paragraph that give you this information.

Possible answer: Mr. Pirzada _______________________________ has a similar appearance, _______________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters If students are having difficulty, then: Model To determine the cultural heritage of a person, I would look at that person’s appearance, notice the language he or she speaks, and consider what kind of jokes make him or her laugh. I would also notice what kinds of food and drink the person prefers. Lilia’s description of these qualities tells why she thinks Mr. Pirzada is an Indian man.

speaks the same language, _______________________________ laughs at the same jokes, and _______________________________ has the same customs and _______________________________ eating and drinking habits as _______________________________ her parents, who are Indian. _______________________________

Vocabulary austere (ôs tērʼ) adj. without decoration; very simple

Vocabulary Skill Word Origins Point out to students that the word austere comes from a Greek word, austeros, meaning “making the tongue dry and rough, (hence) severe, harsh.” Ask: How might the ancient meaning of austeros be related to the modern meaning of austere? (Perhaps austere food made the tongue dry and rough because it had no honey or oil.)

Vocabulary Word Origins If students are having trouble responding, Ask: What are some examples of foods that seem austere? (Students will probably mention dull, flavorless foods.)

“Mr. Pirzada won’t be coming today. More importantly, Mr. Pirzada is no longer considered Indian,” my father announced, brushing salt from the cashews out of his trim black beard. “Not since Partition.12 Our country was divided. 1947.” When I said I thought that was the date of India’s independence from Britain, my father said, “That too. One moment we were free and then we were sliced up,” he explained, drawing an X with his finger on the countertop, “like a pie. Hindus here, Muslims there. Dacca no longer belongs to us.” He told me that during Partition Hindus and Muslims had set fire to each other’s homes. For many, the idea of eating in the other’s company was still unthinkable. It made no sense to me. Mr. Pirzada and my parents spoke the same language, laughed at the same jokes, looked more or less the same. They ate pickled mangoes13 with their meals, ate rice every night for supper with their hands. Like my parents, Mr. Pirzada took off his shoes before entering a room, chewed fennel14 seeds after meals as a digestive, drank no alcohol, for dessert dipped austere biscuits into successive cups of tea. Nevertheless my father insisted that I understand the difference, and he led me to a map of the world taped to the wall over his desk. He seemed concerned that Mr. Pirzada might take offense if I accidentally referred to him as an Indian, though I could not really imagine Mr. Pirzada being offended by much of anything. “Mr. Pirzada is Bengali, but he is a Muslim,” my father informed me. “Therefore he lives in East Pakistan, not India.” His finger trailed across the Atlantic, through Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and finally to the sprawling orange diamond that my mother once told me resembled a woman wearing a sari15 with her left arm extended. Various cities had been circled with lines drawn between them to indicate my parents’ travels, and the place of their birth, Calcutta, was signified by a small silver star. I had been there only once and had no memory of the trip. “As you see, Lilia, it is a different country, a different color,” my father said. Pakistan was yellow, not orange. I noticed that there were two distinct parts to it, one much larger than the other, separated by an expanse of Indian territory; it was as if California and Connecticut constituted a nation apart from the U.S. 12. Partition refers to the creation of independent countries out of parts of the British Empire. Partition created India and Pakistan. 13. Mangoes are a sweet fruit. They come from the tropical mango tree. 14. Fennel is a tall plant with yellow flowers. Its seeds are used to flavor foods in cooking. 15. A sari (särʼ ē) is a piece of clothing worn by Hindu women. It is a single long piece of cloth. One end is wrapped around the waist to form a skirt. The other end is thrown over the shoulder or head.

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When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine My father rapped his knuckles on top of my head. “You are, of course, aware of the current situation? Aware of East Pakistan’s fight for sovereignty?” I nodded, unaware of the situation. We returned to the kitchen, where my mother was draining a pot of boiled rice into a colander.16 My father opened up the can on the counter and eyed me sharply over the frames of his glasses as he ate some more cashews. “What exactly do they teach you at school? Do you study history? Geography?” “Lilia has plenty to learn at school,” my mother said. “We live here now, she was born here.” She seemed genuinely proud of the fact, as if it were a reflection of my character. In her estimation, I knew, I was assured a safe life, an easy life, a fine education, every opportunity. I would never have to eat rationed food, or obey curfews, or watch riots from my rooftop, or hide neighbors in water tanks to prevent them from being shot, as she and my father had. “Imagine having to place her in a decent school. Imagine her having to read during power failures by the light of kerosene lamps. Imagine the pressures, the tutors, the constant exams.” She ran a hand through her hair, bobbed17 to a suitable length for her part-time job as a bank teller. “How can you possibly expect her to know about Partition? Put those nuts away.”


Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Theme Why do you think Lilia’s mother seems proud of this fact? Check all the reasons that apply. ✓ She is happy that she and her ■ husband have moved to the United States. ■ She thinks that American schools are too hard. ✓ She is glad that her daughter ■ is safe. ✓ She is happy about her ■ daughter’s educational opportunities.

Reading Strategy

16. A colander is a bowl-shaped kitchen item. It has holes in the bottom for draining liquids. 17. Bobbed means “cut short.”

READING CHECK Predict Do you think Lilia will learn about Partition? If so, who will teach her? Write your prediction on the lines below. Possible prediction: She will probably learn about Partition ______________________________________________________

Compare and Contrast Characters Why are Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s parents so much alike, even though they are not from the same country? Underline the best answer below. • They have similar incomes. • They come from an area that was one country when they were born. • They practice the same religion. • They are immigrants.

Literary Element Theme If students are having difficulty answering this question: Model If I read the rest of the paragraph, I can see some elaboration about why Lilia’s mother seemed proud. She is happy that she and her husband were able to provide a safe environment for their daughter by moving to the United States.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters If students are having difficulty, help them eliminate some of the options. Ask: Does a similar income seem to be an important factor? (Probably not, since it is not mentioned.) Is religion a factor? (Probably not; Mr. Pirzada is a Muslim; Lilia’s parents do not seem to be Muslims.)

from her parents. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Predict Ask students why Lilia’s father wants her to understand about Partition. (He wants her to understand her heritage and the history of India.) Then ask students how Lilia’s mother feels about it. (She seems proud of the fact that Lilia was born in the United States, and she wants Lilia to study what other American students are studying.)


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Literary Element Theme Why do you think Lahiri includes this detail? To answer this question, complete the following sentence frame: This detail emphasizes how well Lilia knows

Possible answer: the history of _______________________________ the United States ______________________________ , is happening in but not what _______________________


the country where her parents _______________________________ were born ______________________________ .

If students are having difficulty completing the sentence frame: Model If Lilia can identify the thirteen colonies “with her eyes closed,” that means she knows this period of American history very well. However, we already know that her knowledge about the history of India and Pakistan is limited. Her father’s concern about this is clear.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Point out to students that Mr. Pirzada is comparing himself to the East Pakistani refugees in India, who depended on the hospitality of others for their survival during the war.

Vocabulary impeccably (im pekʼ ə blē) adv. without error or flaw; perfectly

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Why do you think Mr. Pirzada calls himself another refugee on Indian territory? Before you answer, review the Build Background on page 28. Then, complete these sentence frames: When West Pakistan invaded East Pakistan, millions of East Pakistani

“But what does she learn about the world?” My father rattled the cashew can in his hand. “What is she learning?” We learned American history, of course, and American geography. That year, and every year, it seemed, we began by studying the Revolutionary War. We were taken in school buses on field trips to visit Plymouth Rock, and to walk the Freedom Trail, and to climb to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument. We made dioramas18 out of colored construction paper depicting George Washington crossing the choppy waters of the Delaware River, and we made puppets of King George wearing white tights and a black bow in his hair. During tests we were given blank maps of the thirteen colonies, and asked to fill in names, dates, capitals. I could do it with my eyes closed. The next evening Mr. Pirzada arrived, as usual, at six o’clock. Though they were no longer strangers, upon first greeting each other, he and my father maintained the habit of shaking hands. “Come in, sir. Lilia, Mr. Pirzada’s coat, please.” He stepped into the foyer,19 impeccably suited and scarved, with a silk tie knotted at his collar. Each evening he appeared in ensembles20 of plums, olives, and chocolate browns. He was a compact man, and though his feet were perpetually splayed,21 and his belly slightly wide, he nevertheless maintained an efficient posture, as if balancing in either hand two suitcases of equal weight. His ears were insulated by tufts22 of graying hair that seemed to block out the unpleasant traffic of life. He had thickly lashed eyes shaded with a trace of camphor, a generous mustache that turned up playfully at the ends, and a mole shaped like a flattened raisin in the very center of his left cheek. On his head he wore a black fez23 made from the wool of Persian lambs, secured by bobby pins, without which I was never to see him. Though my father always offered to fetch him in our car, Mr. Pirzada preferred to walk from his dormitory to our neighborhood, a distance of about twenty minutes on foot, studying trees and shrubs on his way, and when he entered our house his knuckles were pink with the effects of crisp autumn air. “Another refugee, I am afraid, on Indian territory.” “They are estimating nine million at the last count,” my father said.

refugees fled to India. _______________________________ Like these people, Mr. Pirzada is has

people also found shelter with ___________ from India. _______________________________ _______________________________

18. Dioramas are three-dimensional exhibits. They have lifelike figures in the foreground. A painted scene forms the background. 19. A foyer (foiʼ ər) is an entrance room or hall. 20. Here, ensembles (än sämʼ bəls) are clothes of matching colors. 21. Splayed feet are spread out in an awkward way. 22. Tufts are short clumps or clusters. 23. A fez is a tall felt hat, usually red. It has a black tassel hanging from the crown.

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Fluency Expression and Intonation: Punctuation Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on using correct intonation when they come to a period. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Mr. Pirzada handed me his coat, for it was my job to hang it on the rack at the bottom of the stairs. It was made of finely checkered gray-and-blue wool, with a striped lining and horn buttons, and carried in its weave the faint smell of limes. There were no recognizable tags inside, only a hand-stitched label with the phrase “Z. Sayeed, Suitors” embroidered on it in cursive with glossy black thread. On certain days a birch or maple leaf was tucked into a pocket. He unlaced his shoes and lined them against the baseboard; a golden paste clung to the toes and heels, the result of walking through our damp, unraked lawn. Relieved of his trappings, he grazed my throat with his short, restless fingers, the way a person feels for solidity behind a wall before driving in a nail. Then he followed my father to the living room, where the television was tuned to the local news. As soon as they were seated my mother appeared from the kitchen with a plate of mincemeat kebabs with coriander chutney.24 Mr. Pirzada popped one into his mouth. “One can only hope,” he said, reaching for another, “that Dacca’s refugees are as heartily fed. Which reminds me.” He reached into his suit pocket and gave me a small plastic egg filled with cinnamon hearts. “For the lady of the house,” he said with an almost imperceptible splay-footed bow. “Really, Mr. Pirzada,” my mother protested. “Night after night. You spoil her.” “I only spoil children who are incapable of spoiling.” It was an awkward moment for me, one which I awaited in part with dread, in part with delight. I was charmed by the presence of Mr. Pirzada’s rotund25 elegance, and flattered by the faint theatricality of his attentions, yet unsettled by the superb ease of his gestures, which made me feel, for an instant, like a stranger in my own home. It had become our ritual, and for several weeks, before we grew more comfortable with one another, it was the only time he spoke to me directly. I had no response, offered no comment, betrayed no visible reaction to the steady stream of honey-filled lozenges, the raspberry truffles, the slender rolls of sour pastilles. I could not even thank him, for once, when I did, for an especially spectacular peppermint lollipop wrapped in a spray26 of purple cellophane, he had demanded, “What is this thank-you? The lady at the bank thanks me, the cashier at the shop thanks me, the librarian


Interactive Question-Response Vocabulary Word Origins Tell students that the word imperceptible is based on a Latin root, percipere, that means “to understand” or “to apprehend.” The prefix im- means “not.” Vocabulary imperceptible (imʼ pər sepʼ tə bəl) adj. not able to be seen or sensed

Read and Discuss With a partner, read this paragraph aloud. Underline words and phrases that tell how Lilia felt about Mr. Pirzada and his gifts of candy. Then discuss how you would feel if you were in Lilia’s place. Write your response on the lines below.

Possible response: I would ____________________________ like the attention even ____________________________ though it might make me ____________________________ feel a little awkward at first. ____________________________

24. Mincemeat . . . chutney is a mixture of chopped apples, raisins, and meat skewered and broiled and served with a relish made with the pleasant-smelling herb coriander. 25. Rotund means “plump.” 26. Here, spray means that the cellophane has been shaped or twisted to look like a flower.



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Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Theme If students are having difficulty: Model Mr. Pirzada makes a long list of the reasons people say “thank you,” so the first choice is correct. It is entirely possible that people in his culture may have other things to say besides “thank you” for each of those purposes, so the second choice is also correct. He has never demonstrated anything but kindness and courtesy to Lilia, so the third choice is not correct. The fourth choice—that he may feel frustrated and edgy because of his family’s situation—is entirely possible, so it should be checked.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Encourage students to think about what it means that Mr. Pirzada keeps his watch set at Dacca time, rather than on local time. Point out that, despite the fact that he is living and working in New England, his heart is back home, and the pocket watch is a symbol of that.

Literary Element Theme Why do you think Mr. Pirzada makes such an outburst when Lilia thanks him for the candy? Put a check next to all statements below that you think may apply to him. ✓ He feels Americans say “thank ■ you” too much. ✓ People in his country don’t act ■ this way. ■ He is angry with Lilia because she never gives him anything in return. ✓ His worry about his family ■ makes him edgy.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters How does winding the pocket watch make Mr. Pirzada different from Lilia’s family? Underline sections in the text that help you answer this question. Then, complete the sentence frames below. Mr. Pirzada keeps his watch set to

Dacca the local time in _____________.

thanks me when I return an overdue book, the overseas operator thanks me as she tries to connect me to Dacca and fails. If I am buried in this country I will be thanked, no doubt, at my funeral.” It was inappropriate, in my opinion, to consume the candy Mr. Pirzada gave me in a casual manner. I coveted each evening’s treasure as I would a jewel, or a coin from a buried kingdom, and I would place it in a small keepsake box made of carved sandalwood beside my bed, in which, long ago in India, my father’s mother used to store the ground areca27 nuts she ate after her morning bath. It was my only memento of a grandmother I had never known, and until Mr. Pirzada came to our lives I could find nothing to put inside it. Every so often before brushing my teeth and laying out my clothes for school the next day, I opened the lid of the box and ate one of his treats. That night, like every night, we did not eat at the dining table, because it did not provide an unobstructed view of the television set. Instead we huddled around the coffee table, without conversing, our plates perched on the edges of our knees. From the kitchen my mother brought forth the succession of dishes: lentils with fried onions, green beans with coconut, fish cooked with raisins in a yogurt sauce. I followed with the water glasses, and the plate of lemon wedges, and the chili peppers, purchased on monthly trips to Chinatown and stored by the pound in the freezer, which they liked to snap open and crush into their food. Before eating Mr. Pirzada always did a curious thing. He took out a plain silver watch without a band, which he kept in his breast pocket, held it briefly to one of his tufted ears, and wound it with three swift flicks of his thumb and forefinger. Unlike the watch on his wrist, the pocket watch, he had explained to me, was set to the local time in Dacca, eleven hours ahead. For the duration of the meal the watch rested on his folded paper napkin on the coffee table. He never seemed to consult it. Now that I had learned Mr. Pirzada was not an Indian, I began to study him with extra care, to try to figure out what made him different. I decided that the pocket watch was one of those things. When I saw it that night, as he wound it and arranged it on the coffee table, an uneasiness possessed me; life, I realized, was being lived in Dacca first. I imagined Mr. Pirzada’s daughters rising from sleep, tying ribbons in their

Thus, he is constantly aware of life

different time zones, in two _____________________________ unlike Lilia’s family.

27. Areca nuts come from the betel palm, a type of tall palm tree.

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Word Study

2/14/08 10:56:38 A

BLM

Prefixes and Suffixes Point out the word inappropriate in the text. Explain to students that this word has a prefix, in-. Remind them that a prefix is a word part added to the beginning of the base word. Explain that applying the prefix in- to the adjective appropriate changes the meaning of the word to a negative. Point out to students that prefixes can change word meanings. Remind them that suffixes, word parts added to the ends of words, can also change word meanings. Have students practice using prefixes and suffixes by completing the activity on page A7.

36

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine hair, anticipating breakfast, preparing for school. Our meals, our actions, were only a shadow of what had already happened there, a lagging ghost of where Mr. Pirzada really belonged. At six-thirty, which was when the national news began, my father raised the volume and adjusted the antennas. Usually I occupied myself with a book, but that night my father insisted that I pay attention. On the screen I saw tanks rolling through dusty streets, and fallen buildings, and forests of unfamiliar trees into which East Pakistani refugees had fled, seeking safety over the Indian border. I saw boats with fan-shaped sails floating on wide coffee-colored rivers, a barricaded university, newspaper offices burnt to the ground. I turned to look at Mr. Pirzada; the images flashed in miniature across his eyes. As he watched he had an immovable expression on his face, composed but alert, as if someone were giving him directions to an unknown destination.


Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Theme How does the information in this paragraph contribute to the central message of the story? Write your answer on the lines below. Then, underline the phrases that help you understand why Mr. Pirzada is so worried about his family back home.

Possible answer: The paragraph _______________________________ describes the chaos and terror _______________________________ of the war in Pakistan. It also _______________________________ shows how concerned Mr. _______________________________

Literary Element Theme If students are having difficulty: Model This paragraph describes what was being shown on TV. Try to visualize the scenes Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s family are watching. How would you feel if you saw tanks rolling through the dusty streets of your own town? If you saw fallen buildings, a barricaded university, and burned newspaper offices, what would you think? It is easy to understand why Mr. Pirzada is so concerned about events back home.

Pirzada is about the events. _______________________________ _______________________________

READING CHECK Question

_______________________________ _______________________________

If you could talk to Mr. Pirzada, what question would you like to ask him? Write your question on the lines below. Then, write what you think Mr. Pirzada would say. Possible question: Why do you wear a watch set to Dacca ______________________________________________________ time? ______________________________________________________ Possible answer: It helps me imagine what my family might ______________________________________________________ be doing. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Question Once students have answered the Reading Check question, encourage them to ask and answer other questions about the reading. Suggest that they write questions they would like to ask the other characters in the story, such as Lilia, Lilia’s parents, and Lilia’s teacher: Model It seems strange that Lilia’s teacher would not encourage her to find out more about current events in India and Pakistan. I wonder what her reasons were for that. In addition, I wonder about the parents’ friendship with Mr. Pirzada. Do they find it difficult to enjoy their evenings when so much tragedy is going on in Mr. Pirzada’s homeland?


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When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine Reading Strategy

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters

Compare and Contrast Characters Why do you think Lilia cannot understand how serious the situation in East Pakistan is? Underline the two best responses below. • She has not lived in the areas that are now at war. • She is uninterested in world events. • She is unfamiliar with the politics and geography involved.

If students are having difficulty, point out that they can answer the question through process of elimination: Model The question calls for the two best responses. That means I have to eliminate one of the three choices. Lilia seems curious about the world,, so I can eliminate the second choice. That leaves the first and third as the two best responses.

During the commercial my mother went to the kitchen to get more rice, and my father and Mr. Pirzada deplored the policies of a general named Yahyah Khan.28 They discussed intrigues I did not know, a catastrophe I could not comprehend. “See, children your age, what they do to survive,” my father said as he served me another piece of fish. But I could no longer eat. I could only steal glances at Mr. Pirzada, sitting beside me in his olive green jacket, calmly creating a well in his rice to make room for a second helping of lentils. He was not my notion of a man burdened by such grave concerns. I wondered if the reason he was always so smartly dressed was in preparation to endure with dignity whatever news assailed29 him, perhaps even to attend a funeral at a moment’s notice. I wondered, too, what would happen if suddenly his seven daughters were to appear on television, smiling and waving and blowing kisses to Mr. Pirzada from a balcony. I imagined how relieved he would be. But this never happened. That night when I placed the plastic egg filled with cinnamon hearts in the box beside my bed, I did not feel the ceremonious satisfaction I normally did. I tried not to think about Mr. Pirzada, in his lime-scented overcoat, connected to the unruly, sweltering world we had viewed a few hours ago in our bright, carpeted living room. And yet for several moments that was all I could think about. My stomach tightened as I worried whether his wife and seven daughters were now members of the drifting, clamoring crowd that had flashed at intervals on the screen. In an effort to banish30 the image I looked around my room, at the yellow canopied31 bed with matching flounced32 curtains, at framed class pictures mounted on white and violet papered walls, at the penciled inscriptions by the closet door where my father recorded my height on each of my birthdays. But the more I tried to distract myself, the more I began to convince myself that Mr. Pirzada’s family was in all likelihood dead. Eventually I took a square of white chocolate out of the box, and unwrapped it, and then I did something I had never done before. I put the chocolate in my mouth, letting it soften until the last possible moment, and then as I chewed it slowly, I prayed that Mr. Pirzada’s family was safe and sound. I had never prayed for anything before, had never been taught or told

28. Yahyah Khan, or Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan, was a West Pakistan general. He led troops into East Pakistan. 29. Assailed means “attacked” or “assaulted.” 30. Banish means “to drive away” or “force to leave.” 31. A canopy is a cloth covering hung over a bed. 32. Flounced means “gathered” or “pleated.”

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2/14/08 10:56:41 A

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine to, but I decided, given the circumstances, that it was something I should do. That night, when I went to the bathroom I only pretended to brush my teeth, for I feared that I would somehow rinse the prayer out as well. I wet the brush and rearranged the tube of paste to prevent my parents from asking any questions, and fell asleep with sugar on my tongue. No one at school talked about the war followed so faithfully in my living room. We continued to study the American Revolution, and learned about the injustices of taxation without representation, and memorized passages from the Declaration of Independence. During recess the boys would divide in two groups, chasing each other wildly around the swings and seesaws, Redcoats against the colonies. In the classroom our teacher, Mrs. Kenyon, pointed frequently to a map that emerged like a movie screen from the top of the chalkboard, charting the route of the Mayflower, or showing us the location of the Liberty Bell. Each week two members of the class gave a report on a particular aspect of the Revolution, and so one day I was sent to the school library with my friend Dora to learn about the surrender at Yorktown. Mrs. Kenyon handed us a slip of paper with the names of three books to look up in the card catalogue. We found them right away, and sat down at a low round table to read and take notes. But I could not concentrate. I returned to the blond-wood shelves, to a section I had noticed labeled “Asia.” I saw books about China, India, Indonesia, Korea. Eventually I found a book titled Pakistan: A Land and Its People. I sat on a footstool and opened the book. The laminated jacket crackled in my grip. I began turning the pages, filled with photos of rivers and rice fields and men in military uniforms. There was a chapter about Dacca, and I began to read about its rainfall, and its jute33 production. I was studying a population chart when Dora appeared in the aisle. “What are you doing back here? Mrs. Kenyon’s in the library. She came to check up on us.” I slammed the book shut, too loudly. Mrs. Kenyon emerged, the aroma of her perfume filling up the tiny aisle, and lifted the book by the tip of its spine as if it were a hair clinging to my sweater. She glanced at the cover, then at me. “Is this book a part of your report, Lilia?”


Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters What does this passage reveal about how Lilia is changing? How is she different now than she was at the beginning of the story? To answer these questions, complete the sentence frames below. Lilia is becoming more aware of

how the situation in East _______________________________ Pakistan is affecting Pirzada. _______________________________ She wants to help Mr. Pirzada, and

praying is the she decides that ________________ only way she can do this. ______________________________ .

Read and Discuss With a partner, read this paragraph aloud. As you read, underline words that tell what Mrs. Kenyon wants the class to study. Circle words that tell what Lilia wants to study. Then talk about whether you think Lilia should have been given more information about Pakistan during her history class. Write your response on the lines below.

more information about ____________________________

Alternative response: the ____________________________ class is American history, ____________________________ and Lilia should study ____________________________


Word Study

If students are having difficulty seeing how Lilia has changed, suggest that they return to the beginning of the story and review Lilia’s attitude toward Mr. Pirzada. Model In the beginning, Lilia feels a bit uncomfortable around Mr. Pirzada and does not know how to react when he gives her gifts of candy. Now, she is fond of him and is worried about his family. She wants to help him but has no way to do so, other than by offering a prayer.

If students are having difficulty responding: Model It is clear that Lilia is preoccupied with the war that is “followed so faithfully” in her living room. The teacher wants her to study American history, but she says she “could not concentrate.” She feels drawn to the section labeled “Asia,” a place where she might be able to find books about Pakistan. Aware that Lilia’s grasp of American history is already good, she might encourage her to do some independent study of Pakistan’s history.

should have been given ____________________________

Pakistan on her own. ____________________________


Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters

Read and Discuss Partner Talk

Possible response: Lilia ____________________________

Pakistan. ____________________________

33. Jute is a fiber from the jute plant. It is used to make rope, burlap, or sacks.


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BLM

Context Meaning An unfamiliar word’s context, or the words that surround that word, can provide clues to the word’s meaning. For example, students can tell from the context above that Yorktown was an important place in the American Revolutionary War. Remind students of the following types of context clues. • Context can provide an example of the word. Mr. Pirzada doted on Lilia, giving her presents every time he saw her. • A contrast implies that an unfamiliar word is the opposite of a familiar one. The rotund pear was not the small piece of fruit Lilia anticipated. • A restatement of the word in context rewords it in a more familiar way. The West Pakistani soldiers and East Pakistanis soldiers assailed, or attacked each other relentlessly. • An unfamiliar word may be used as a synonym or antonym for another term. Lahiri’s debut novel shocked critics, who couldn’t believe it was her first work. • Have students complete the activity on page A8. When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

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Literary Element Theme Why do you think Lahiri chose to include this scene? Write your answer on the lines below.


Possible answer: Lahiri may _______________________________ have wanted to show how _______________________________ limited Lilia’s education is. Her _______________________________ history class focuses only on _______________________________

Literary Element Theme If students are having trouble answering the question, guide them to understand what the scene accomplishes. It shows how completely absorbed the other students are in the American Revolution, with the boys even acting it out on the playground. It also shows how difficult it is for Lilia to concentrate on regular lessons. She is much more interested in learning the background of Mr. Pirzada’s country and the reasons for the unrest.


U.S. history, not global events. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters What draws Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s parents together? Put a check next to the answers below that apply. ✓ They have similar interests. ■ ■ They want to put a business deal together. ✓ They enjoy a cultural familiarity ■ with a foreign country.

If students cannot choose the answers that apply, have them consider each one separately. The first and third ones are obviously true, as we have already read about how they enjoy the same food, music, jokes, and games. The second one is obviously untrue, as there has been no mention of a business deal. Mr. Pirzada, in fact, is writing a book and plans to go home as soon as he is done.

“No, Mrs. Kenyon.” “Then I see no reason to consult34 it,” she said, replacing it in the slim gap on the shelf. “Do you?” As weeks passed it grew more and more rare to see any footage35 from Dacca on the news. The report came after the first set of commercials, sometimes the second. The press had been censored, removed, restricted, rerouted. Some days, many days, only a death toll was announced, prefaced by a reiteration36 of the general situation. More poets were executed, more villages set ablaze. In spite of it all, night after night, my parents and Mr. Pirzada enjoyed long, leisurely meals. After the television was shut off, and the dishes washed and dried, they joked, and told stories, and dipped biscuits in their tea. When they tired of discussing political matters they discussed, instead, the progress of Mr. Pirzada’s book about the deciduous37 trees of New England, and my father’s nomination for tenure, and the peculiar eating habits of my mother’s American coworkers at the bank. Eventually I was sent upstairs to do my homework, but through the carpet I heard them as they drank more tea, and listened to cassettes of Kishore Kumar,38 and played Scrabble on the coffee table, laughing and arguing long into the night about the spellings of English words. I wanted to join them, wanted, above all, to console Mr. Pirzada somehow. But apart from eating a piece of candy for the sake of his family and praying for their safety, there was nothing I could do. They played Scrabble until the eleven o’clock news, and then, sometime around midnight, Mr. Pirzada walked back to his dormitory. For this reason I never saw him leave, but each night as I drifted off to sleep I would hear them, anticipating the birth of a nation on the other side of the world. One day in October Mr. Pirzada asked upon arrival, “What are these large orange vegetables on people’s doorsteps? A type of squash?” “Pumpkins,” my mother replied. “Lilia, remind me to pick one up at the supermarket.” “And the purpose? It indicates what?” “You make a jack-o’-lantern,” I said, grinning ferociously. “Like this. To scare people away.” “I see,” Mr. Pirzada said, grinning back. “Very useful.”

34. 35. 36. 37. 38.

Here, consult means “to get information from.” Here, footage refers to a segment of film from a newsreel. Reiteration is repeating or saying over again. Deciduous trees lose their leaves each year. Kishore Kumar was a famous actor and singer in Indian films.

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Language Note African American Vernacular English: Existential Constructions Speakers of African American vernacular English may tend to use the construction “It’s” instead of “There is” or “There are,” as in “It’s a package in the mail” rather than “There is a package in the mail.” Review the standard English usage. Then have them read aloud the passage that contains this construction. Make sure they understand that “there was nothing I could do” is standard English.

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2/14/08 10:56:46 A

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine The next day my mother bought a ten-pound pumpkin, fat and round, and placed it on the dining table. Before supper, while my father and Mr. Pirzada were watching the local news, she told me to decorate it with markers, but I wanted to carve it properly like others I had noticed in the neighborhood. “Yes, let’s carve it,” Mr. Pirzada agreed, and rose from the sofa. “Hang the news tonight.” Asking no questions, he walked into the kitchen, opened a drawer, and returned, bearing a long serrated39 knife. He glanced at me for approval. “Shall I?” I nodded. For the first time we all gathered around the dining table, my mother, my father, Mr. Pirzada, and I. While the television aired unattended we covered the tabletop with newspapers. Mr. Pirzada draped his jacket over the chair behind him, removed a pair of opal40 cuff links, and rolled up the starched sleeves of his shirt. “First go around the top, like this,” I instructed, demonstrating with my index finger. He made an initial incision41 and drew the knife around. When he had come full circle he lifted the cap by the stem; it loosened effortlessly, and Mr. Pirzada leaned over the pumpkin for a moment to inspect and inhale its contents. My mother gave him a long metal spoon with which he gutted the interior until the last bits of string and seeds were gone. My father, meanwhile, separated the seeds from the pulp and set them out to dry on a cookie sheet, so that we could roast them later on. I drew two triangles against the ridged surface for the eyes, which Mr. Pirzada dutifully carved, and crescents for eyebrows, and another triangle for the nose. The mouth was all that remained, and the teeth posed a challenge. I hesitated. “Smile or frown?” I asked. “You choose,” Mr. Pirzada said.


Literary Element Theme Why do you think Mr. Pirzada decides not to watch the news? Check all the answers below that apply. ■ He has stopped caring about what is happening in East Pakistan. ✓ He chooses to enjoy carving a ■ pumpkin. ■ He thinks the news reports are untrue. ✓ He may need some relief from ■ the news.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Why does Mr. Pirzada not know about jack-o’-lanterns? Write your answer on the lines below.

Halloween is not celebrated in _______________________________ his country, so the traditions _______________________________ of the holiday are not familiar _______________________________ to him. _______________________________

Literary Element Theme If students are having difficulty choosing the answers that apply: Model The first and third answers make no sense. With his family in danger, there is no way he could have stopped caring about the events in East Pakistan, nor has there been any mention that he thinks the stories are untrue. The second and fourth answers do make sense, so I can check those. It is clear that he is looking forward to carving the pumpkin, and it makes sense that he might want to have some distraction from the news.

_______________________________ _______________________________

39. Serrated means “having a sawlike edge.” 40. Opal is a type of mineral. It is used as a gemstone. 41. Initial incision means the “first cut.”


_______________________________ _______________________________

READING CHECK

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters If students are having trouble responding, remind them that Mr. Pirzada is a Muslim from East Pakistan.

Clarify Why does Mr. Pirzada take off his jacket and cufflinks and roll up his shirt sleeves? What is he planning to do? Write your answers on the lines below. Possible answer: He wants to keep his clothes from getting ______________________________________________________ messy. He is preparing to carve the pumpkin. ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Clarify If students are having trouble answering the question, suggest that they read ahead a bit to see what Mr. Pirzada does next. When we find out how messy the job of carving a pumpkin is, we can understand why he rolled up his sleeves before beginning.


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Vocabulary intimidation (in timʼ ə dä shən) n. the act of making one feel afraid or discouraged

Context Clues

Interactive Question-Response Vocabulary Context Clues If students have difficulty identifying the context clues, Ask: Why might doing something for the first time cause a person to experience a sense of intimidation? (because of the task’s unfamiliarity)

Context Clues Look at the way the word intimidation is used in context. Underline the context clues that help you determine its meaning.

Literary Element Theme Is there more than one reason why Mr. Pirzada feels he needs to be forgiven? Discuss this question with a partner. Fill out the following sentence frames to get started: Mr. Pirzada is sorry for what he just did,

making a gash in the pumpkin . ______________________________

Literary Element Theme If students are having difficulty completing the sentence frames: Model It is clear that Mr. Pirzada is sorry for having ruined the pumpkin. In fact, he offers to buy another one. But we know what is really on his mind: the situation in Pakistan and the fact that he is not there to protect his family.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters If students are having difficulty: Model We can presume that children in East Pakistan are not allowed out of their parents’ sight even in the daytime because it is so dangerous there.

He may also feel sorry for

forgetting his family by not _______________________________ paying attention to the news. _______________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters How does the highlighted detail point out the difference between children’s lives in Boston and in East Pakistan? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible answer: Lilia’s parents _______________________________ allow them to leave the house _______________________________

As a compromise I drew a kind of grimace,42 straight across, neither mournful nor friendly. Mr. Pirzada began carving, without the least bit of intimidation, as if he had been carving jack-o’-lanterns his whole life. He had nearly finished when the national news began. The reporter mentioned Dacca, and we all turned to listen: An Indian official announced that unless the world helped to relieve the burden of East Pakistani refugees, India would have to go to war against Pakistan. The reporter’s face dripped with sweat as he relayed the information. He did not wear a tie or a jacket, dressed instead as if he himself were about to take part in the battle. He shielded his scorched face as he hollered things to the cameraman. The knife slipped from Mr. Pirzada’s hand and made a gash dipping toward the base of the pumpkin. “Please forgive me.” He raised a hand to one side of his face, as if someone had slapped him there. “I am—it is terrible. I will buy another. We will try again.” “Not at all, not at all,” my father said. He took the knife from Mr. Pirzada, and carved around the gash, evening it out, dispensing altogether with43 the teeth I had drawn. What resulted was a disproportionately large hole the size of a lemon, so that our jack-o’-lantern wore an expression of placid44 astonishment, the eyebrows no longer fierce, floating in frozen surprise above a vacant, geometric gaze. For Halloween I was a witch. Dora, my trick-or-treating partner, was a witch too. We wore black capes fashioned from dyed pillowcases and conical hats with wide cardboard brims. We shaded our faces green with a broken eye shadow that belonged to Dora’s mother, and my mother gave us two burlap sacks that had once contained basmati rice,45 for collecting candy. That year our parents decided that we were old enough to roam the neighborhood unattended. Our plan was to walk from my house to Dora’s, from where I was to call to say I had arrived safely, and then Dora’s mother would drive me home. My father equipped us with flashlights, and I had to wear my watch and synchronize it with his. We were to return no later than nine o’clock. When Mr. Pirzada arrived that evening he presented me with a box of chocolate-covered mints. “In here,” I told him, and opened up the burlap sack. “Trick or treat!”

at night because they think it is _______________________________ safe; in East Pakistan, it is likely _______________________________ that many children are not safe. _______________________________

42. 43. 44. 45.

A grimace (grim´ is) is a twisting of the face into an ugly or painful smile. Dispensing . . . with means “getting rid of.” Placid means “calm, undisturbed.” Basmati rice is a kind of long-grain rice grown in India.

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2/16/08 7:30:10 A

When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine “I understand that you don’t really need my contribution this evening,” he said, depositing the box. He gazed at my green face, and the hat secured by a string under my chin. Gingerly he lifted the hem of the cape, under which I was wearing a sweater and a zipped fleece jacket. “Will you be warm enough?” I nodded, causing the hat to tip to one side. He set it right. “Perhaps it is best to stand still.” The bottom of our staircase was lined with baskets of miniature candy, and when Mr. Pirzada removed his shoes he did not place them there as he normally did, but inside the closet instead. He began to unbutton his coat, and I waited to take it from him, but Dora called me from the bathroom to say that she needed my help drawing a mole on her chin. When we were finally ready my mother took a picture of us in front of the fireplace, and then I opened the front door to leave. Mr. Pirzada and my father, who had not gone into the living room yet, hovered in the foyer. Outside it was already dark. The air smelled of wet leaves, and our carved jack-o’-lantern flickered impressively against the shrubbery by the door. In the distance came the sounds of scampering feet, and the howls of the older boys who wore no costume at all other than a rubber mask, and the rustling apparel of the youngest children, some so young that they were carried from door to door in the arms of their parents. “Don’t go into any of the houses you don’t know,” my father warned. Mr. Pirzada knit his brows together. “Is there any danger?’ “No, no,” my mother assured him. “All the children will be out. It’s a tradition.” “Perhaps I should accompany them?” Mr. Pirzada suggested. He looked suddenly tired and small, standing there in his splayed, stockinged feet, and his eyes contained a panic I had never seen before. In spite of the cold I began to sweat inside my pillowcase. “Really, Mr. Pirzada,” my mother said, “Lilia will be perfectly safe with her friend.” “But if it rains? If they lose their way?” “Don’t worry,” I said. It was the first time I had uttered those words to Mr. Pirzada, two simple words I had tried but failed to tell him for weeks, had said only in my prayers. It shamed me now that I had said them for my own sake.

Read the second full paragraph out loud with a partner. Then discuss the author’s description of the events. In your discussion, answer questions like these: Does the author do a good job of describing the events? Does the reader get a good visual image of the scene? What details help the reader imagine that Halloween night? Write your responses on the lines below.

Possible response: The ____________________________

Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk Remind students that one of the basic methods of description is through the use of imagery, descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses. Point out the writer’s use of visual images (“our carved jack-o’-lantern flickered impressively”), smells (“the air smelled of wet leaves”), and sounds “the sounds of scampering feet, and the howls of older boys”).

author describes the events ____________________________ well. The reader can get a ____________________________ good visual image. Details, ____________________________ such as the flickering ____________________________ jack-o’-lantern, help ____________________________ the reader imagine that ____________________________ Halloween night. ____________________________


Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Notice the different attitudes of Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s mother concerning the girls’ safety as they go trick-or-treating. Why do you think Mr. Pirzada is so worried about it? Underline the best answer below. • He has heard about children being hurt on Halloween. • He has been so worried about his own girls, and the feeling carries over. • He does not think the girls can see well enough in their costumes.




Read and Discuss

If students are having difficulty choosing the best answer, have them use the process of elimination. They can probably eliminate the first and third choices, as these points have not been made in the story. We do know that he has been worried about his own girls, so the second choice seems most logical.

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4/22/08 11:56:35 AM


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Literary Element Theme Why do you think Lilia tells Mr. Pirzada not to worry at this point, instead of earlier in the story? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: Lilia knows _______________________________ his worrying about his children _______________________________ is justified, so it makes no _______________________________


sense to tell him not to worry _______________________________ about them. It is much easier _______________________________

If students are having trouble answering the question, have them discuss the story up to this point. They should note that the news from East Pakistan has been consistently bad, so Lilia knows that his children really are in danger. Telling him not to worry about them, therefore, would have made no sense.

for Lilia to tell him not to worry _______________________________ about her because she knows _______________________________ that she will be safe. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

He placed one of his stocky fingers on my cheek, then pressed it to the back of his own hand, leaving a faint green smear. “If the lady insists,” he conceded, and offered a small bow. We left, stumbling slightly in our black pointy thrift-store shoes, and when we turned at the end of the driveway to wave good-bye, Mr. Pirzada was standing in the frame of the doorway, a short figure between my parents, waving back. “Why did that man want to come with us?” Dora asked. “His daughters are missing.” As soon as I said it, I wished I had not. I felt that my saying it made it true, that Mr. Pirzada’s daughters really were missing, and that he would never see them again. “You mean they were kidnapped?” Dora continued. “From a park or something?” “I didn’t mean they were missing. I meant, he misses them. They live in a different country, and he hasn’t seen them in a while, that’s all.” We went from house to house, walking along pathways and pressing doorbells. Some people had switched off all their lights for effect, or strung rubber bats in their windows. At the McIntyres’ a coffin was placed in front of the door, and Mr. McIntyre rose from it in silence, his face covered with chalk, and deposited a fistful of candy corns into our sacks. Several people told me that they had never seen an Indian witch before. Others performed the transaction without comment. As we paved our way with the parallel beams of our flashlights we saw eggs cracked in the middle of the road, and cars covered with shaving cream, and toilet paper garlanding46 the branches of trees. By the time we reached Dora’s house our hands were chapped from carrying our bulging burlap bags, and our feet were sore and swollen. Her mother gave us bandages for our blisters and served us warm cider and caramel popcorn. She reminded me to call my parents to tell them I had arrived safely, and when I did I could hear the television in the background. My mother did not seem particularly relieved to hear from me. When I replaced the phone on the receiver it occurred to me that the television wasn’t on at Dora’s house at all. Her father was lying on the couch,

46. A garland is a wreath, usually of flowers or leaves. Here, the garland is toilet paper strewn through the branches.

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When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine reading a magazine, with a glass of wine on the coffee table, and there was saxophone music playing on the stereo. After Dora and I had sorted through our plunder, and counted and sampled and traded until we were satisfied, her mother drove me back to my house. I thanked her for the ride, and she waited in the driveway until I made it to the door. In the glare of her headlights I saw that our pumpkin had been shattered, its thick shell strewn in chunks across the grass. I felt the sting of tears in my eyes, and a sudden pain in my throat, as if it had been stuffed with the sharp tiny pebbles that crunched with each step under my aching feet. I opened the door, expecting the three of them to be standing in the foyer, waiting to receive me, and to grieve for our ruined pumpkin, but there was no one. In the living room Mr. Pirzada, my father, and mother were sitting side by side on the sofa. The television was turned off, and Mr. Pirzada had his head in his hands.


Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Why are Dora’s parents not watching the news? To answer this question, complete this sentence on the lines below: Unlike Lilia’s parents and Mr. Pirzada, Dora’s parents

Possible response: have no ties _______________________________


to India or Pakistan and little _______________________________ reason to watch reports of the _______________________________ events occurring there. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters If students are having trouble completing the sentence, have them make a two-column chart that compares Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s parents with Dora’s parents. When they determine that Dora’s parents have no ties to India or Pakistan, the answer should become clear.

READING CHECK Question What does Lilia notice when she gets back home? Why do you think she is she so upset about it? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible response: The pumpkin is smashed. She might be ______________________________________________________ upset because Mr. Pirzada had carved it. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Question If students have trouble answering the question, have them reread the passage that explains what Lilia noticed when she got back home. Tell them that the reason Lilia is so upset seems to be because the pumpkin is smashed. Why this so upsets her is not stated, so they will have to make inferences to explain her reaction. It may be because Mr. Pirzada had initiated carving it.


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Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters If students are having difficulty answering the question: Model The narrator tells us that war had broken out between East Pakistan and West Pakistan, with India, the United States, and the Soviet Union taking sides. With Mr. Pirzada’s East Pakistan origins, Lilia’s parents Indian origins, and the connection they all have with the United States, the situation is very serious. Everyone will be affected by the outcome of the war.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters What has happened that has finally given all the adults the same sense of fear? Underline the sentence earlier in this paragraph that helps you answer this question. Then, complete the following sentence frames.

India ________________ has become involved in the war, along with

Pakistan West and East ________________. Now all of the adults

have a personal stake in the _______________________________

What they heard that evening, and for many evenings after that, was that India and Pakistan were drawing closer and closer to war. Troops from both sides lined the border, and Dacca was insisting on nothing short of independence. The war was to be waged on East Pakistani soil. The United States was siding with West Pakistan, the Soviet Union with India and what was soon to be Bangladesh. War was declared officially on December 4, and twelve days later, the Pakistani army, weakened by having to fight three thousand miles from their source of supplies, surrendered in Dacca. All of these facts I know only now, for they are available to me in any history book, in any library. But then it remained, for the most part, a remote mystery with haphazard47 clues. What I remember during those twelve days of the war was that my father no longer asked me to watch the news with them, and that Mr. Pirzada stopped bringing me candy, and that my mother refused to serve anything other than boiled eggs with rice for dinner. I remember some nights helping my mother spread a sheet and blankets on the couch so that Mr. Pirzada could sleep there, and high-pitched voices hollering in the middle of the night when my parents called our relatives in Calcutta to learn more details about the situation. Most of all I remember the three of them operating during that time as if they were a single person, sharing a single meal, a single body, a single silence, and a single fear. In January, Mr. Pirzada flew back to his three-story home in Dacca, to discover what was left of it. We did not see much of him in those final weeks of the year; he was busy finishing his manuscript, and we went to Philadelphia to spend Christmas with friends of my parents. Just as I have no memory of his first visit, I have no memory of his last. My father drove him to the airport one afternoon while I was at school. For a long time we did not hear from him. Our evenings went on as usual, with dinners in front of the news. The only difference was that Mr. Pirzada and his extra watch were not there to accompany us. According to reports Dacca was repairing itself slowly, with a newly formed parliamentary government. The new leader, Sheikh Mujib Rahman, recently released from prison, asked countries for building materials to replace more than one million houses that had been destroyed in the war. Countless refugees

outcome of events. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ 47. Haphazard means “random, happening by chance.”

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When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine returned from India, greeted, we learned, by unemployment and the threat of famine.48 Every now and then I studied the map above my father’s desk and pictured Mr. Pirzada on that small patch of yellow, perspiring heavily, I imagined, in one of his suits, searching for his family. Of course, the map was outdated by then. Finally, several months later, we received a card from Mr. Pirzada commemorating49 the Muslim New Year, along with a short letter. He was reunited, he wrote, with his wife and children. All were well, having survived the events of the past year at an estate belonging to his wife’s grandparents in the mountains of Shillong.50 His seven daughters were a bit taller, he wrote, but otherwise they were the same, and he still could not keep their names in order. At the end of the letter he thanked us for our hospitality, adding that although he now understood the meaning of the words “thank you” they still were not adequate to express his gratitude. To celebrate the good news my mother prepared a special dinner that evening, and when we sat down to eat at the coffee table we toasted our water glasses, but I did not feel like celebrating. Though I had not seen him for months, it was only then that I felt Mr. Pirzada’s absence. It was only then, raising my water glass in his name, that I knew what it meant to miss someone who was so many miles and hours away, just as he had missed his wife and daughters for so many months. He had no reason to return to us, and my parents predicted, correctly, that we would never see him again. Since January, each night before bed, I had continued to eat, for the sake of Mr. Pirzada’s family, a piece of candy I had saved from Halloween. That night there was no need to. Eventually, I threw them away. 48. Famine is an extreme lack of food, leading to starvation. 49. Commemorating means “honoring the memory of.” 50. Shillong is a part of India. It is north of East Pakistan (Bangladesh).

READING CHECK


Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Why do you think that this is the first time Lilia feels Mr. Pirzada’s absence? Discuss this question with a partner, and then write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: Mr. Pirzada _______________________________


no longer needs Lilia’s family, _______________________________ now that he is reunited with _______________________________ his own. Lilia realizes this, _______________________________ causing her to feel his absence _______________________________ more intensely. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Literary Element Theme Why does Lilia decide to throw the candy away? Underline the correct answer.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters If students are having trouble answering the question: Model The letter Mr. Pirzada sent to Lilia’s family tells how well he is doing and saying that he is reunited with his family. This fact brings home to Lilia the realization that he has no reason to return to the United States. Up till then, she probably thought she might see him again. Now, however, she knows that it is unlikely.


• The candy has become stale. • Lilia has gone on a health kick. • Mr. Pirzada and his family are safe.

Summarize On the lines below, write a one-sentence summary of the contents of the letter that Lilia’s family received from Mr. Pirzada. Possible summary: He was reunited with his wife and ______________________________________________________

If students are having difficulty answering the question, suggest that they reread the last few sentences of the story, underlining the references to the candy. Then, have them read the question carefully, noting that only one answer is correct. They can then eliminate the first two answer choices, realizing that these reasons are not mentioned in the story.

daughters, who had survived the war by living in the ______________________________________________________ mountains with relatives. ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Summarize If students have trouble summarizing the letter from Mr. Pirzada, have them reread the section that describes the letter and underline the important words and phrases in it. They can then refer to the underlined sections as they write a summary.


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After You Read

When Mr. Pirzada

After You Read

Came to Dine

Connect to the Story Look back at the statements you made on page 28. Now that you have read the story, would you change any of those statements? Explain why or why not.

Connect to the Story

Students should be able to offer explanations for their answers. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students are having difficulty connecting the statements from the Before You Read section to the selection, ask them the following questions:

Literary Element

Theme

Look back to page 29, where you described the theme or themes of a story you recently read. Answer the same questions about the story you have just read. Write your answers on the lines below each question.

• How did Mr. Pirzada feel when he was safe and secure with friends while his family was in danger in a distant country? (He was worried about them.)

1. What is the most important theme of the story? Possible response: Foreigners living in the United States often experience loneliness and anxiety. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

• How did Mr. Pirzada act around Lilia’s parents? (He tried to act as normal as possible, enjoying his evenings with them. But when the war broke out, he changed and showed how worried he was.)

2. How does the plot help reveal the theme? Possible response: Mr. Pirzada lives in a dormitory, he is separated from his family, he carefully watches the _________________________________________________________________________________________________ world news, and he frets about Lilia on Halloween. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. How do the characters’ observations help reveal the theme?

• How much of his feelings did Mr. Pirzada reveal to Lilia’s family? (Until the war broke out, he revealed very little.)

Possible response: Lilia’s observations about Mr. Pirzada help reveal the theme. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Does the story have any minor themes? If so, what are they? Possible response: People who have similar interests and backgrounds often enjoy one another’s company. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Courses of study in school that do not include any multicultural history can make immigrants feel left out. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trick-or-treating on Halloween is more fun with a friend. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Characters Look over the Venn diagram you made from page 29 to compare yourself and a friend. Make another Venn diagram to compare Lilia’s father and Mr. Pirzada.

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Simple and Compound Sentences Prepare students to complete the activity on page A9. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read

After You Read

When Mr. Pirzada

Came to Dine

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Circle the letter of the answer that best fits the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary word in each sentence.

Academic Vocabulary

1. For her research paper, Carmen was busy ascertaining facts. a writing

c checking

b wondering about

d listing

Write the following sentence on the board: On the map, the city of Calcutta was signified by a small silver star.

2. Dylan enjoyed his austere meals of rice and tea. a simple

c rich

b fancy

d non-fattening

Explain to students that the word signified is an academic word. Other words that are similar in meaning are represented and denoted.

3. Sylvia was groomed impeccably, not a hair out of place. a poorly

c perfectly

b carelessly

d half-heartedly

Divide students into pairs. Have them look up the word signified in a dictionary. Then have the partners work together to write a definition of the word signified in their own words.

4. The tree grew at an imperceptible rate each day. a rapid

c surprising

b very slight

d negative

5. Bullies use intimidation to control other people. a charm

c strength

b bad manners

d scare tactics

B. Context Clues Underline the context clues in the following sentences that help you determine the meaning of each boldfaced vocabulary word. Then explain your choices. 1. Fingerprints at the scene help the detective in ascertaining who committed the crime. explanation: The word fingerprints hints that the detective is trying to find out Explanation: Possible _____________________________________________________________________________ for sure who committed the crime. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Unlike her sister, who prefers austere clothing, Clara loves frills, decorations, and ruffles. explanation: Since Clara likes frills, and her sister is the opposite, we can figure Explanation: Possible _____________________________________________________________________________ out that austere means the opposite of highly decorated, or plain. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. The ice skater performed impeccably and earned the top score of 10. explanation: The clue is the top score of 10, which proves that impeccably Explanation: Possible _____________________________________________________________________________ means “perfectly.” __________________________________________________________________________________________



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Writing Link Anecdote Have students think about an anecdote from their own lives that revealed details about their own or another person’s character. Have them write the anecdote in a brief paragraph. Instruct them to use transitional words such as first, next, and then to show the sequence of events in the story. Suggest that they use the final sentence of the paragraph to sum up the significance of the anecdote. Set a limit of 150 words. An effective paragraph should • present a revealing anecdote • use transitional words • present a conclusion • keep within the space limit.


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After You Read

After You Read

When Mr. Pirzada

Came to Dine

K-W-L Chart Making a K-W-L chart is a good way to keep track of what you have learned. Review the Build Background information on page 28. Then fill out the first column of the K-W-L chart below, telling what you already knew before you started reading the story. Then complete the second column, telling what you wanted to find out. Finally, complete the third column, telling what you learned by reading the story. What I Already Knew Students may say that Pakistan had been formed for the Muslims of India. East Pakistan wanted independence and went to war with West Pakistan. The war was fought in East Pakistan. India got involved.

What I Wanted to Find Out Students may say that they wanted to find out how the war affected the people who had an interest in it.

What I Learned Students may say that they learned about how one immigrant in the United States suffered and worried because of the war.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 51–66 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing point of view. Reading: Interpreting imagary.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Story Explain that students will read, “Catch the Moon,” a short story by Judith Ortiz Cofer. Point out that Cofer was born in Puerto Rico, but moved to New Jersey as a child. As a writer, Cofer draws on her experience of living in two cultures.

Catch the

Tell students that “Catch the Moon” comes from Cofer’s book An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. Chicana author Sandra Cisneros explains that “In these stories, both hilarious and tragic, [Cofer] has captured the isolated lives of those wobbling between two clashing cultures—childhood and adulthood.” Like the rest of the stories in this collection, “Catch the Moon” is set in Paterson, New Jersey. It tells the story of a teen named Luis Cintrón. Ask: What do you think the title means? (Possible answer: to pursue an impossible dream) Is it possible to catch the moon? (perhaps in a figurative way) Tell students they will explore the meaning of the title as they read the story.

MOON

by Judith Ortiz Cofer

Catch the Moon

051-066_G10_APP_CatchtheMoon.ind51 51

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Literary Element • Point of View

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Denotation and Connotation • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Interpret Imagery


Writing Link • Postcard Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Punctuation

BLM Word Study • Base Words and Their Derivatives BLM • Denotations and Connotations BLM BLM Grammar Link • Direct and Indirect Objects BLM


Catch the Moon

51

Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 51–66 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing point of view. Reading: Interpreting imagary.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Story Explain that students will read, “Catch the Moon,” a short story by Judith Ortiz Cofer. Point out that Cofer was born in Puerto Rico, but moved to New Jersey as a child. As a writer, Cofer draws on her experience of living in two cultures.

Catch the

Tell students that “Catch the Moon” comes from Cofer’s book An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. Chicana author Sandra Cisneros explains that “In these stories, both hilarious and tragic, [Cofer] has captured the isolated lives of those wobbling between two clashing cultures—childhood and adulthood.” Like the rest of the stories in this collection, “Catch the Moon” is set in Paterson, New Jersey. It tells the story of a teen named Luis Cintrón. Ask: What do you think the title means? (Possible answer: to pursue an impossible dream) Is it possible to catch the moon? (perhaps in a figurative way) Tell students they will explore the meaning of the title as they read the story.

MOON

by Judith Ortiz Cofer

Catch the Moon


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Literary Element • Point of View

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Denotations and Connotations • Academic Vocabulary



Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Punctuation

Writing Link • Postcard

BLM Word Study • Base Words and Their Derivatives BLM • Denotations and Connotations BLM BLM Grammar Link • Action Verbs and Indirect Objects BLM


Catch the Moon

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Before You Read

Before You Read

Catch the

MOON

Connect to the Story When was the last time you did something really nice for another person without asking for or expecting anything in return? Before you read the story, freewrite for a few minutes about the following questions:

Connect to the Story Write the bulleted questions on the board. Ask students to freewrite for five minutes to answer the questions. Then have them discuss their answers with a partner or in small groups.

•

Why might someone suddenly do something special for another person?

•

Why does gift giving make the giver feel good? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read the Build Background note with students. Explain that barrio is a Spanish word that entered the English language in the 1830s. In Spanish-speaking countries, it is synonymous with the words district or ward. Help students understand what life in a barrio is like for many people in the United States. Then discuss how some people feel about their old cars and what they do to keep them in good shape. Finally, ask students who have seen a junkyard to describe it to the class.


A barrio is a neighborhood in a city. Most of the people who live in a barrio are of Hispanic heritage and speak Spanish. Some may have been born in the United States, while others may have come from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, or countries in South America.

•

Hubcaps are covers for car wheels that keep dirt and water away from the inner parts of the wheel.

•

Hubcaps for very old cars are hard to get. They can cost a lot of money to replace and take a long time to find.

Now, without looking at what you have just read, describe a barrio and explain what hubcaps are for. A barrio is a neighborhood. Hubcaps are protective covers for car wheels. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have students work in pairs to develop a list of more purposes for reading. Ask them what more they would like to know about Luis and how he changes throughout the story. Encourage them to look for the answers to their questions as they read.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading As you read, notice how a self-centered young man named Luis changes when he learns the value of giving.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Point of View

Point of view refers to the perspective from which a story is told. In a story that is told from a third-person limited point of view: •

The narrator uses he, she, and they to tell the story.

•

The narrator focuses on the actions, thoughts, and emotions of one character.

•

The reader learns a lot about that character, but not about other characters.

Literary Element Point of View

Work with a partner to describe yourselves using the third-person limited point of view. Try to imagine your partner’s thoughts and mindset. Use sentences such as: Jon walked toward his partner. He smiled, wondering what she was thinking.

Ask students to describe point of view in their own words. Review first-person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient point of view. Help students identify the pronouns that are used in each point of view. Invite volunteers to tell about their day using firstand third-person limited point of view.

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Writers use imagery, or details that appeal to the reader’s sense of sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch, to create an emotional response in the reader. As a reader, you must use your own experiences to figure out the deeper meaning or idea the imagery suggests. Look at the chart below. How might you interpret the imagery from this line from the story? Write your ideas in the chart. Imagery

Sense/Senses

“steel jungle of his car junkyard”

sight, touch

What It Suggests “steel jungle” suggests a place that is hard, cold, and crammed with car parts and scraps of metal

If students need help, ask them to imagine that they are the narrator, seeing things from inside the main character’s head. Ask: What would you know? (You would know what the main character did, thought, and felt. You would be privy to memories and emotions the person might usually keep private.) What could you only observe? (You only could observe the actions of the other characters.) Emphasize that they would not use the word I, but rather he or she to tell what they observed.

Vocabulary Denotation and Connotation Writers choose words based on their denotations and connotations. Denotation is the dictionary meaning of a word. Connotation is its cultural meaning—the feelings, thoughts, or ideas connected with the word. A word can have positive, negative, or neutral connotations. For example, the word makeshift has negative connotations, suggesting that something has been hastily made or thrown together. With a partner, discuss the denotations and connotations of the words below. Circle the word with the most positive connotations. Cross out the word with the most negative connotations. club

gang

social group

fellowship

Students will most likely circle the word fellowship and cross out the word gang.

Vocabulary harass (hə rasʼ) v. to bother or annoy over and over again makeshift (mākʼ shiftʼ) adj. suitable as a temporary substitute for the proper or desired thing

decapitate (di kapʼ ə tātʼ) v. to cut off the head relic (relʼ ik) n. an object that has been around for a long time and that is valued for its historic interest

Catch the Moon


Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery

vintage (vinʼ tij) adj. old but still appealing or valuable

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If students need help interpreting the imagery, ask them to describe a jungle. Help them understand that in a jungle there are few open spaces because the area is covered with trees, plants, and vines. Now have them imagine a jungle made of metal. Ask how it might feel to live in such an environment. (uncomfortable, unpleasant, overwhelming)

2/14/08 11:00:06 AM


two old crates and a board. Describe a makeshift item you have seen or made. DESCRIPTION

it had been killed. Why might an animal be decapitated? EXPLANATION

Define: If you harass someone, you bother or annoy them many times.

Ask: What are other words that mean about the same thing as harass? SYNONYM

Something that is vintage is old, but still in excellent condition. It might have sentimental or monetary value. Old cars, clothing, and dishes are often described as being vintage. I bought a vintage dress and coat from the 1940s at the antique store. What would be the opposite of vintage? ANTONYM

If something is makeshift, it has been put together quickly and without the proper tools or equipment, and it’s only meant to be used for a short while. She created a makeshift desk from

To decapitate is to cut off a head. This might be done intentionally or by accident. A person or animal that has been decapitated will not live. The hunter decapitated the animal after

A relic is an object of historic value that has been around for a long time. Relics are treated with great care and respect because they offer information about the past. In some religions, relics are items that belonged to people who were considered holy. The archaeologist found relics, including jewelry and pieces of pottery, from a group that lived in the area centuries ago. Describe some relics that you have seen or heard about. EXAMPLE

Example: The boy harassed his neighbors by ringing their doorbells several times each day.

Catch the Moon

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Catch the Moon

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Review the senses with students and write them on the board. Discuss words that relate to each sense. Model As Luis stands on top of the pile of hubcaps, grunting and yelling, he reminds me of King Kong. His actions show that he is making fun of his father and his work. It suggests that Luis is unaware of how hard his father works to provide for his family.

Catch the MOON Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Imagine you are watching Luis. What senses do these lines appeal to? sight, sound What does the _________________ image of Luis yelling atop a “silver mountain” suggest about Luis?

Luis has a sense of humor. _______________________________ Luis does not value his father’s _______________________________ business or his efforts to _______________________________ help Luis. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary harass (hə rasʼ) v. to bother or annoy over and over again

Read and Discuss Partner Talk Have partners read the paragraph aloud and underline details that support their point of view. Model I read that Luis broke into houses and took things to the limit. Those actions show me that he did not respect authority.

Luis Cintrón sits on top of a six-foot pile of hubcaps and watches his father walk away into the steel jungle of his car junkyard. Released into his old man’s custody after six months in juvenile hall—for breaking and entering—and he didn’t even take anything. He did it on a dare. But the old lady with the million cats was a light sleeper, and good with her aluminum cane. He has a scar on his head to prove it. Now Luis is wondering whether he should have stayed in and done his full time. Jorge Cintrón of Jorge Cintrón & Son, Auto Parts and Salvage, has decided that Luis should wash and polish every hubcap in the yard. The hill he is sitting on is only the latest couple of hundred wheel covers that have come in. Luis grunts and stands up on top of his silver mountain. He yells at no one, “Someday, son, all this will be yours,” and sweeps his arms like the Pope blessing a crowd over the piles of car sandwiches and mounds of metal parts that cover this acre of land outside the city. He is the “Son” of Jorge Cintrón & Son, and so far his father has had more than one reason to wish it was plain Jorge Cintrón on the sign. Luis has been getting in trouble since he started high school two years ago, mainly because of the “social group” he organized—a bunch of guys who were into harassing the local authorities. Their thing was taking something to the limit on a dare or, better still, doing something dangerous, like breaking into a house, not to steal, just to prove that they could do it. That was Luis’s specialty, coming up with very complicated plans,

Read and Discuss With a partner, read aloud what the narrator shares about Luis and his “social group.” Then discuss your reaction to this information.

Students should comment ____________________________ on the negative aspects of ____________________________ the group’s activities. ____________________________

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Fluency Expression and Intonation: Punctuation Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on stopping when they come to a period. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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Catch the Moon

Catch the Moon like military strategies, and assigning the “jobs” to guys who wanted to join the Tiburones.1 Tiburón means “shark,” and Luis had gotten the name from watching an old movie2 about a Puerto Rican gang called the Sharks with his father. Luis thought it was one of the dumbest films he had ever seen. Everybody sang their lines, and the guys all pointed their toes and leaped in the air when they were supposed to be slaughtering each other. But he liked their name, the Sharks, so he made it Spanish and had it air-painted on his black T-shirt with a killer shark under it, jaws opened wide and dripping with blood. It didn’t take long for other guys in the barrio to ask about it. Man, had they had a good time. The girls were interested too. Luis outsmarted everybody by calling his organization a social club and registering it at Central High. That meant they were legal, even let out of last-period class on Fridays for their “club” meetings. It was just this year, after a couple of botched3 jobs, that the teachers had started getting suspicious. The first one to go wrong was when he sent Kenny Matoa to borrow some “souvenirs” out of Anita Robles’s locker. He got caught. It seems that Matoa had been reading Anita’s diary and didn’t hear her coming down the hall. Anita was supposed to be in the gym at that time but had copped out with the usual female excuse of cramps. You could hear her screams all the way to Market Street. She told the principal all she knew about the Tiburones, and Luis had to talk fast to convince old Mr. Williams that the club did put on cultural activities such as the Save the Animals talent show. What Mr. Williams didn’t know was that the animal that was being “saved” with the ticket sales was Luis’s pet boa, which needed quite a few live mice to stay healthy and happy. They kept E.S. (which stood for “Endangered Species”) in Luis’s room, but she belonged to the club and it was the members’ responsibility to raise the money to feed their mascot. So last year they had sponsored their first annual Save the Animals talent show, and it had been a great success. The Tiburones had come dressed as Latino Elvises and did a grand finale to “All Shook Up” that made the audience go wild. Mr. Williams had smiled while Luis talked, maybe remembering how the math teacher, Mrs. Laguna, had dragged him out in the aisle to rockand-roll with her. Luis had gotten out of that one, but barely.

Literary Element Point of View What do you learn about Luis from the narrator’s account of his reaction to West Side Story? Underline the words that best complete the sentence below. Luis is a (tough/sensitive) guy who (does/does not) know how to appreciate or interpret the performances.

Literary Element Point of View With a partner, talk about why the author chose to have the narrator share information about the Save the Animals talent show. Record your ideas on the lines below.

to show that Luis has some _______________________________ positive and creative ideas; to _______________________________ reveal some of Luis’s better _______________________________ traits _______________________________ _______________________________

1. Tiburones (tēʼ boo rōʼ nās) 2. [old movie . . .] The narrator is describing the feature film West Side Story, a 1961 musical based on Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. West Side Story is set in a working class neighborhood of New York City in the late 1950s. 3. Botched means “badly or clumsily done.”

_______________________________ _______________________________

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Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Point of View Explain that in both the stage play and movie versions of West Side Story, the actors sing and dance as part of the story. Discuss Luis’s response to the film. Model Luis probably has never seen a serious movie in which actors danced and sang. He may be used to action movies with car chases and gun fights. Luis doesn’t know how to watch singing and dancing and appreciate the meaning behind them. Perhaps he does not think it is proper to express his emotions.

Literary Element Point of View If students have difficulty responding, Ask: What is Luis doing when he has to “talk fast” to the principal? (telling a lie to get himself out of trouble) Does Luis really want to do good, or does he just want to take advantage of people again? (He wants to take advantage of others, but he also wants to provide for his pet boa.) What is the author trying to point out about Luis? (The show was successful, so Luis must have some good ideas about how to organize things and how to put on a show. So far, he has not realized that he could use his talents for good instead of for getting into trouble.)

Language Note African American Vernacular English Speakers of use African American vernacular English may use non-standard subject-verb agreement for third-person singular and third-person plural subjects. Point out the standard English subject-verb agreement in the following examples from the story: Luis Cintrón sits on top of a pile of hubcaps and watches his father walk away into the steel jungle of his car junkyard. The girls were interested too. Then in a small group, write the following sentences on the board and ask students to choose the verbs that reflect Standard English. 1. Mr. Citron own / owns a car junkyard. (owns) 2. Luis and his father work / works there. (work) 3. The old lady was / were a light sleeper. (was) 4. The Tiburones have / has put on a show. (have) 5. They was / were trying to earn money to feed their mascot. (were) Catch the Moon

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Catch the Moon Read and Discuss Read aloud Luis’s thoughts with your partner. Talk about what you learn about Luis and his relationship with his father. How would you rate the communication between the two men?


Possible answer: Luis is ____________________________ more aware of his father ____________________________

Vocabulary Skill Denotation and Connotation If students have difficulty Ask: What does an old car look like? (It is old, possibly rusted, with faded paint.) How is an old car different from a vintage car? (While both kinds of cars are old, a vintage car is one that is worth money because it is in exceptionally good shape or because it is a special model.) What is an example of a classy car? (Students might give the name of a sports car or a luxury car like a Mustang or a Corvette.) What type of person might drive a vintage car? (someone who can afford to buy expensive things, someone who values nice things)

and his father’s feelings than ____________________________ he realizes. The two men do ____________________________ not know how to talk openly ____________________________ with each other. ____________________________

Vocabulary makeshift (mākʼ shiftʼ) adj. suitable as a temporary substitute for the proper or desired thing

Vocabulary vintage (vinʼ tij) adj. old but still appealing or valuable

Vocabulary Skill Denotation and Connotation Circle the words that you associate with vintage. Then discuss with a partner what the girl’s car suggests about her. run-down

shiny

unreliable

like-new

classy

high quality

His father was a problem too. He objected to the T-shirt logo, calling it disgusting and vulgar. Mr. Cintrón prided himself on his own neat, elegant style of dressing after work, and on his manners and large vocabulary, which he picked up by taking correspondence courses in just about everything. Luis thought that it was just his way of staying busy since Luis’s mother had died, almost three years ago, of cancer. He had never gotten over it. All this was going through Luis’s head as he slid down the hill of hubcaps. The tub full of soapy water, the can of polish, and the bag of rags had been neatly placed in front of a makeshift table made from two car seats and a piece of plywood. Luis heard a car drive up and someone honk their horn. His father emerged from inside a new red Mustang that had been totaled. He usually dismantled every small feature by hand before sending the vehicle into the cementerio,4 as he called the lot. Luis watched as the most beautiful girl he had ever seen climbed out of a vintage white Volkswagen Bug. She stood in the sunlight in her white sundress waiting for his father, while Luis stared. She was like a smooth wood carving. Her skin was mahogany, almost black, and her arms and legs were long and thin, but curved in places so that she did not look bony and hard—more like a ballerina. And her ebony hair was braided close to her head. Luis let his breath out, feeling a little dizzy. He had forgotten to breathe. Both the girl and his father heard him. Mr. Cintrón waved him over. “Luis, the señorita here has lost a wheel cover. Her car is twenty-five years old, so it will not be an easy match. Come look on this side.” Luis tossed a wrench he’d been holding into a toolbox like he was annoyed, just to make a point about slave labor. Then he followed his father, who knelt on the gravel and began to point out every detail of the hubcap. Luis was hardly listening. He watched the girl take a piece of paper from her handbag. “Señor Cintrón, I have drawn the hubcap for you, since I will have to leave soon. My home address and telephone number are here, and also my parents’ office number.” She handed the paper to Mr. Cintrón, who nodded. “Sí, señorita, very good. This will help my son look for it. Perhaps there is one in that stack there.” He pointed to the pile

4. Cementerio (se men tāʼ rē ō) is Spanish for “cemetery.”

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Catch the Moon of caps that Luis was supposed to wash and polish. “Yes, I’m almost certain that there is a match there. Of course, I do not know if it’s near the top or the bottom. You will give us a few days, yes?” Luis just stared at his father like he was crazy. But he didn’t say anything because the girl was smiling at him with a funny expression on her face. Maybe she thought he had X-ray eyes like Superman, or maybe she was mocking him. “Please call me Naomi, Señor Cintrón. You know my mother. She is the director of the funeral home. . . .” Mr. Cintrón seemed surprised at first; he prided himself on having a great memory. Then his friendly expression changed to one of sadness as he recalled the day of his wife’s burial. Naomi did not finish her sentence. She reached over and placed her hand on Mr. Cintrón’s arm for a moment. Then she said “Adiós” softly, and got in her shiny white car. She waved to them as she left, and her gold bracelets flashing in the sun nearly blinded Luis. Mr. Cintrón shook his head. “How about that,” he said as if to himself. “They are the Dominican owners of Ramirez Funeral Home.” And, with a sigh, “She seems like such a nice young woman. Reminds me of your mother when she was her age.”

Literary Element Point of View The narrator describes only what Luis sees and feels. What might be the reason for the girl’s “funny expression”? Underline any reasons that apply.


a. She likes Luis. b. She is mocking Luis. c. She thinks he looks foolish. d. She is amused by Luis’s reaction to her.

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Underline the words in the story on page 56 that help you picture the girl. How does the comparison with a ballerina help you imagine her?

The words “like a ballerina” _______________________________ brings to mind the image of _______________________________

Literary Element Point of View Remind students that the narrator cannot see into the mind of anyone but the main character. As a result, readers are put in the position of looking at things from that character’s perspective. Add that readers can use their own experiences to interpret what they read. If students have difficulty responding, have them look at the scene from Naomi’s point of view and consider how they might respond if they were in her place.

a woman who is tall, slender, _______________________________

READING CHECK

graceful, and elegant. _______________________________

Predict Do you think Luis will find the hubcap that Naomi wants? Explain your answer on the lines below. Support your answer with information from the story.

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Encourage students to describe a ballerina they have seen. If any of the students have ballet experience, invite them to demonstrate a few poses and steps. Point out that the movements of a ballerina are usually graceful and controlled.

Possible answer: Luis will find the hubcap. Clues include ______________________________________________________ the way Luis focuses on Naomi, Naomi’s thoughtful actions, ______________________________________________________ and the father’s comments that “She seems like such a nice ______________________________________________________ young woman. Reminds me of your mother …” ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Predict Ask students to again describe the pile of hubcaps. If they predict that Luis will find the hubcap, ask them for details about both the drawing and the pile of hubcaps that will support their answer. If they predict that Luis will not find the hubcap, ask them why they think he will not be successful.

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Catch the Moon Literary Element


Point of View The narrator describes Luis’s memories of his mother’s death and funeral. Name one detail that Luis might have left out if he was telling his own story.

Possible answers: that anger _______________________________ made him punch a hole in the _______________________________

Literary Element Point of View Discuss with students the reasons for their choices. Help students conclude that the author’s choice of a third-person limited narrator’s account allows readers to get information the main character might not have shared if he told his own story.

wall, his fear that he might _______________________________ have acted like “a jerk” in front _______________________________ of Naomi _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary decapitate (di kapʼ ə tātʼ) v. to cut off the head

Read and Discuss Read Mr. Cintrón’s words aloud with a partner. Do you think the father’s dream will come true? Discuss this question with your partner.

Hearing the funeral parlor’s name, Luis remembered too. The day his mother died, he had been in her room at the hospital while his father had gone for coffee. The alarm had gone off on her monitor and nurses had come running in, pushing him outside. After that, all he recalled was the anger that had made him punch a hole in his bedroom wall. And afterward he had refused to talk to anyone at the funeral. Strange, he did see a black girl there who didn’t try like the others to talk to him, but actually ignored him as she escorted family members to the viewing room and brought flowers in. Could it be that the skinny girl in a frilly white dress had been Naomi? She didn’t act like she had recognized him today, though. Or maybe she thought that he was a jerk. Luis grabbed the drawing from his father. The old man looked like he wanted to walk down memory lane. But Luis was in no mood to listen to the old stories about his falling in love on a tropical island. The world they’d lived in before he was born wasn’t his world. No beaches and palm trees here. Only junk as far as he could see. He climbed back up his hill and studied Naomi’s sketch. It had obviously been done very carefully. It was signed “Naomi Ramirez” in the lower right-hand corner. He memorized the telephone number. Luis washed hubcaps all day until his hands were red and raw, but he did not come across the small silver bowl that would fit the VW. After work he took a few practice Frisbee shots across the yard before showing his rows and rows of shiny rings drying in the sun. His father nodded and showed him the bump on his temple where one of Luis’s flying saucers had gotten him. “Practice makes perfect, you know. Next time you’ll probably decapitate me.” Luis heard him struggle with the word decapitate, which Mr. Cintrón pronounced in syllables. Showing off his big vocabulary again, Luis thought. He looked closely at the bump, though. He felt bad about it. “They look good, hijo.”5 Mr. Cintrón made a sweeping gesture with his arms over the yard. “You know, all this will have to be classified. My dream is to have all the parts divided by year, make of car, and condition. Maybe now that you are here to help me, this will happen.”

Students will most likely ____________________________ think the dream will come ____________________________ true. ____________________________ 5. Hijo (ēʼ hō) is Spanish for “son.”

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BLM

Base Words and Their Derivatives Guide students in exploring the base word classify and its derivatives. Point out the word classified in the text. Explain to students that classified is one form of the base word classify. Tell them that a base word is a word part that by itself is also a word. Explain that by adding other words or word parts to a base word they can form new words. Identifying base words in unfamiliar words can also help them figure out the meaning of those words. Write classify on the board and write the word classified below it. Explain that when you classify, you group items by categories. For example, you can classify your CDs by title or by the name of the artist. Classified is the past tense of the verb classify. Next add classification, classifier, and classifiable to the list of words on the board. For each word, have students identify the word parts that have been added to classify to form the new word. Discuss the meaning of each word. Have students practice identifying additional base words and their derivatives by completing the activity on page A10.

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Catch the Moon “Pop . . .” Luis put his hand on his father’s shoulder. They were the same height and build, about five foot six and muscular. “The judge said six months of free labor for you, not life, okay?” Mr. Cintrón nodded, looking distracted. It was then that Luis suddenly noticed how gray his hair had turned—it used to be shiny black like his own—and that there were deep lines in his face. His father had turned into an old man and he hadn’t even noticed. “Son, you must follow the judge’s instructions. Like she said, next time you get in trouble, she’s going to treat you like an adult, and I think you know what that means. Hard time, no breaks.” “Yeah, yeah. That’s what I’m doing, right? Working my hands to the bone instead of enjoying my summer. But listen, she didn’t put me under house arrest, right? I’m going out tonight.” “Home by ten. She did say something about a curfew, Luis.” Mr. Cintrón had stopped smiling and was looking upset. It had always been hard for them to talk more than a minute or two before his father got offended at something Luis said, or at his sarcastic tone. He was always doing something wrong. Luis threw the rag down on the table and went to sit in his father’s ancient Buick, which was in mint condition. They drove home in silence. After sitting down at the kitchen table with his father to eat a pizza they had picked up on the way home, Luis asked to borrow the car. He didn’t get an answer then, just a look that meant “Don’t bother me right now.” Before bringing up the subject again, Luis put some ice cubes in a Baggie and handed it to Mr. Cintrón, who had made the little bump on his head worse by rubbing it. It had guilty written on it, Luis thought. “Gracias, hijo.” His father placed the bag on the bump and made a face as the ice touched his skin. They ate in silence for a few minutes more; then Luis decided to ask about the car again. “I really need some fresh air, Pop. Can I borrow the car for a couple of hours?” “You don’t get enough fresh air at the yard? We’re lucky that we don’t have to sit in a smelly old factory all day. You know that?”

Literary Element Point of View Through the narrator, you learn that Luis feels he is “always doing something wrong.” What does this tell you about him?

Luis’s thoughts shows that he _______________________________ feels misunderstood and alone. _______________________________ He does not understand that _______________________________ his father feels the same way. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery What does the image of a bump displaying the word GUILTY suggest about Luis? Circle any answers that apply. Luis is sorry for hurting his father. Luis is clever and persuasive. Luis is beginning to understand that his actions have consequences.

Word Study

Literary Element Point of View If students have difficulty responding: Model I read that Mr. Cintrón got upset by Luis’s tone and by things that Luis said. I guess if I were Luis, I would think that I was always doing something wrong. I might not understand that my father was trying to help me. But Luis’s “sarcastic tone” is a clue that he is not respectful of his father’s feelings either.

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery If students are having trouble understanding this passage, tell them to quickly sketch what Luis imagines. Help them see that he is projecting his inner feelings onto the bump. Invite volunteers to describe scenes from films, television shows, or cartoons that use this technique to reveal a character’s inner thoughts. Have them evaluate the effectiveness of this technique.

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BLM

Denotations and Connotations Explain that Luis’s father reprimands Luis, telling him that they are lucky they don’t have to sit in a “smelly old factory” all day. Call attention to the word smelly. Review the meanings of denotation and connotation. Have a volunteer locate and read the dictionary definition, or denotation, of the word. Ask: Does smelly have positive, negative, or neutral connotations? (negative) Discuss the connotations students associate with the word. (bad smelling, foul or nasty odor) Ask: What does Mr. Cintrón want to suggest by using the word smelly? (that he prefers working outdoors, that he and Luis have a better job) Then have students practice comparing denotations and connotations by completing the activities on page A11.

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Catch the Moon Vocabulary


relic (relʼ ik) n. an object that has been around for a very long time and that is valued for its historic interest

Vocabulary Skill Denotation and Connotation How does the author’s use of the word relics connote, or suggest, how Mr. Cintrón feels toward his wife?

Vocabulary Skill Denotation and Connotation Tell students that relic comes from a Latin word that means “remains.” Ask them to give examples of religious or historically relevant relics they have heard about or seen. Discuss with students whether the word relic normally has positive, neutral, or negative connotations. (neutral or positive) Then discuss how Mr. Cintrón’s treatment of his wife’s things reflects his feelings toward his wife.

Literary Element Point of View If students are having trouble making a prediction: Model Luis recalls the nourishing dinners the family shared when his mother was alive and thinks that if he and his father could spend time together again that their relationship will improve. The fact that they are sharing a meal at this time makes me think that their relationship will improve.

The word relics suggests that ______________________________ the items are honored and ______________________________ valued for their association ______________________________ with Mr. Cintrón’s wife, whom ______________________________ he loved. ______________________________

Literary Element Point of View What does the narrator’s account of Luis’s thoughts hint will happen? Share your ideas with a partner.

Most students will predict that _______________________________ the relationship between Luis _______________________________ and his father will change for _______________________________ the better. _______________________________

“Yeah, Pop. We’re real lucky.” Luis always felt irritated that his father was so grateful to own a junkyard, but he held his anger back and just waited to see if he’d get the keys without having to get in an argument. “Where are you going?” “For a ride. Not going anywhere. Just out for a while. Is that okay?” His father didn’t answer, just handed him a set of keys, as shiny as the day they were manufactured. His father polished everything that could be polished: doorknobs, coins, keys, spoons, knives, and forks, like he was King Midas counting his silver and gold. Luis thought his father must be really lonely to polish utensils only he used anymore. They had been picked out by his wife, though, so they were like relics. Nothing she had ever owned could be thrown away. Only now the dishes, forks, and spoons were not used to eat the yellow rice and red beans, the fried chicken, or the mouth-watering sweet plantains that his mother had cooked for them. They plantain were just kept in the cabinets that his father had turned into a museum for her. Mr. Cintrón could cook as well as his wife, but he didn’t have the heart to do it anymore. Luis thought that maybe if they ate together once in a while things might get better between them, but he always had something to do around dinnertime and ended up at a hamburger joint. Tonight was the first time in months they had sat down at the table together. Luis took the keys. “Thanks,” he said, walking out to take his shower. His father kept looking at him with those sad, patient eyes. “Okay. I’ll be back by ten, and keep the ice on that egg,” Luis said without looking back. He had just meant to ride around his old barrio, see if any of the Tiburones were hanging out at El Building, where most of them lived. It wasn’t far from the single-family home his father had bought when the business started paying off: a house that his mother lived in for three months before she took up residence at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She never came home again. These days Luis wished he still lived in that tiny apartment where there was always something to do, somebody to talk to.

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

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Catch the Moon Instead Luis found himself parked in front of the last place his mother had gone to: Ramirez Funeral Home. In the front yard was a huge oak tree that Luis remembered having climbed during the funeral to get away from people. The tree looked different now, not like a skeleton, as it had then, but green with leaves. The branches reached to the second floor of the house, where the family lived. For a while Luis sat in the car allowing the memories to flood back into his brain. He remembered his mother before the illness changed her. She had not been beautiful, as his father told everyone; she had been a sweet lady, not pretty but not ugly. To him, she had been the person who always told him that she was proud of him and loved him. She did that every night when she came to his bedroom door to say good-night. As a joke he would sometimes ask her, “Proud of what? I haven’t done anything.” And she’d always say, “I’m just proud that you are my son.” She wasn’t perfect or anything. She had bad days when nothing he did could make her smile, especially after she got sick. But he never heard her say anything negative about anyone. She always blamed el destino, fate, for what went wrong. He missed her. He missed her so much. Suddenly a flood of tears that had been building up for almost three years started pouring from his eyes. Luis sat in his father’s car, with his head on the steering wheel, and cried, “Mami, I miss you.”

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery What does the image of a “flood of tears” suggest about Luis’s changing feelings? Write your answer below.

If students have difficulty responding: Model Once I saw video of a flood on TV and I know that a flood is an enormous amount of water. If Luis has that many tears, he has a lot of emotion all built up.

Luis is finally expressing the _______________________________ grief he feels over loss of his _______________________________ mother. His feelings come as _______________________________ an overwhelming flood. _______________________________

READING CHECK

_______________________________

Clarify

_______________________________

On the lines below, explain the change that has taken place within Luis as he sits in the car.

_______________________________

Possible answer: Luis has finally come to grips with his ______________________________________________________

_______________________________

mother’s death. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify To help students recognize the change that has taken place in Luis, have them draw two faces on a separate sheet of paper, one facing left to represent Luis, leader of the Tiburones and one facing right to represent Luis as he is now. Have them jot down words or phrases that describe Luis. (Possible answers: Luis, leader of the Tiburones—cool, macho, unaware of the feelings of others, a jokester; Luis now—lonely, sad, feeling guilty, wanting to change)

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Catch the Moon Literary Element


Point of View The narrator reports Luis’s thoughts as he looks at Naomi’s window. Complete the sentence frames below to explain the significance of his observations. Luis refers to Naomi as “the princess” because

Possible answers: she is rich _______________________________

Literary Element Point of View Point out to students that Luis’s quick assessment of the security system is a reminder of his earlier problems with the law. His assumption about the reasons for the locks tells the reader how Luis thinks about people who have more material goods than he has. He may also be entertaining the thought of “rescuing Naomi” like the princes who rescued the princesses in “Rapunzel” or “Sleeping Beauty.”

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Summarize the story of Cinderella if students are not familiar with it. Point out that the comparison between the hubcap and Cinderella’s shoe is a literary analogy. Work with students to create a Venn diagram that compares Luis and the prince in the story. Point out that hanging the hubcap in the tree gave it a magical and special quality like the glass slipper in the story.

and leads a privileged life; _______________________________ she is locked safely away like _______________________________ one of the beautiful storybook _______________________________ princesses and is out of his _______________________________ reach. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Complete the sentence frame below to explain how the hubcap is like Cinderella’s shoe. Just as the prince used a glass shoe to find the woman he desired, Luis uses Naomi’s drawing to

find the hubcap that would _______________________________

When he finally looked up, he saw that he was being watched. Sitting at a large window with a pad and a pencil on her lap was Naomi. At first Luis felt angry and embarrassed, but she wasn’t laughing at him. Then she told him with her dark eyes that it was okay to come closer. He walked to the window, and she held up the sketch pad on which she had drawn him, not crying like a baby, but sitting on top of a mountain of silver disks, holding one up over his head. He had to smile. The plate-glass window was locked. It had a security bolt on it. An alarm system, he figured, so nobody would steal the princess. He asked her if he could come in. It was soundproof too. He mouthed the words slowly for her to read his lips. She wrote on the pad, “I can’t let you in. My mother is not home tonight.” So they looked at each other and talked through the window for a little while. Then Luis got an idea. He signed to her that he’d be back, and drove to the junkyard. Luis climbed up on his mountain of hubcaps. For hours he sorted the wheel covers by make, size, and condition, stopping only to call his father and tell him where he was and what he was doing. The old man did not ask him for explanations, and Luis was grateful for that. By lamppost light, Luis worked and worked, beginning to understand a little why his father kept busy all the time. Doing something that had a beginning, a middle, and an end did something to your head. It was like the satisfaction Luis got out of planning “adventures” for his Tiburones, but there was another element involved here that had nothing to do with showing off for others. This was a treasure hunt. And he knew what he was looking for. Finally, when it seemed that it was a hopeless search, when it was almost midnight and Luis’s hands were cut and bruised from his work, he found it. It was the perfect match for Naomi’s drawing, the moon-shaped wheel cover for her car, Cinderella’s shoe. Luis jumped off the small mound of disks left under him and shouted, “Yes!” He looked around and saw neat stacks of hubcaps that he would wash the next day. He would build a display wall for his father. People would be able to come into the yard and point to whatever they wanted.

allow him to speak with _______________________________ Naomi. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

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Catch the Moon Luis washed the VW hubcap and polished it until he could see himself in it. He used it as a mirror as he washed his face and combed his hair. Then he drove to the Ramirez Funeral Home. It was almost pitch-black, since it was a moonless night. As quietly as possible, Luis put some gravel in his pocket and climbed the oak tree to the second floor. He knew he was in front of Naomi’s window—he could see her shadow through the curtains. She was at a table, apparently writing or drawing, maybe waiting for him. Luis hung the silver disk carefully on a branch near the window, then threw the gravel at the glass. Naomi ran to the window and drew the curtains aside while Luis held on to the thick branch and waited to give her the first good thing he had given anyone in a long time.


Literary Element Point of View What do you think the last sentence in the story means?

Possible answer: Luis has come _______________________________ to realize how his behavior has _______________________________ affected those around him, and _______________________________ he is ready to change his ways. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

READING CHECK

Literary Element Point of View Have students use the following sentence frame to help organize their thoughts: Luis realizes how his _______ had affected others in the past. Now he is ready to _______. If students have difficulty responding: Model Luis gave the hubcap to Naomi. His hard work gave him success. He also gained a feeling of strength in himself. For the first time, he had the confidence to share his strength and good qualities with someone else.

_______________________________

Summarize Describe the change that takes place in Luis as a result of the events in the story. At the beginning of the story Luis is defiant, selfish, and ______________________________________________________ afraid to feel. At the end he is hardworking and willing to ______________________________________________________ make sacrifices to help others. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize Some students may find it difficult to summarize the changes that have taken place in Luis over time. Have these students work in small groups to list the events of the story on a timeline or sequence chart in the order they occurred. Point out that some events, such as the death of Luis’s mother, happened earlier in time. Then ask students to circle key events that cause Luis to change his behavior or way of thinking. Tell them to use their notes in crafting their answer.

Catch the Moon

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After You Read

ON

Catch the MO

After You Read

Connect to the Story Look back at your responses to the questions on page 52. Consider what Luis learns about himself as he searches for his gift to Naomi, and what Naomi and Mr. Cintrón offer Luis. On the lines below, explain how Luis’s experiences have influenced your ideas about giving to others.


Students may respond that while some gifts are tangible, such as the hubcap, others are intangible, such _________________________________________________________________________________________________ as the gift of love. They might say that they have become more aware of the importance of giving freely _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students are having difficulty answering the question, ask them the following questions:

without thoughts of “getting back.” _________________________________________________________________________________________________

• We know that a person can’t really catch the moon in his or her hands. What do you think the title means? (Catching the moon is a symbol for going after something that is hard to do but will bring great satisfaction.)

Literary Element

Point of View

The point of view an author chooses can influence your reaction to the characters. Why might Cofer have chosen to tell this story from third-person limited point of view? Underline all that apply. So the narrator could reveal information none of the characters know.

• How do you think Luis might have felt inside before he found the hubcap? (He was probably sad, angry, resentful.)

So the narrator could reveal the main character’s inner thoughts and feelings honestly and objectively. So the narrator could focus on the growth or change in one character.

• How did his feelings change when he found the hubcap? (He became kinder, less selfish, and less angry.)

So readers will connect with or put themselves in the place of the narrator.

Reading Strategy

Interpret Imagery

Authors use imagery to add meaning to a story and to help readers understand characters’ feelings. Imagery can also reveal how the author feels about a situation or character. Consider the title of the story. What image did “Catch the Moon” create for you before you read the story? How has your understanding of the title changed? Explain your answer, using the chart below. Before Reading adventure challenge magic unattainable dreams

After Reading achieving a goal finding happiness “Catch the Moon”

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Direct and Indirect Objects Prepare students to complete the activity on page A12. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read

O Catch the MO N

After You Read

Vocabulary harass

makeshift

vintage

decapitate

relic

Academic Vocabulary

A. Word Meaning Read each sentence. Write the missing word in the corresponding space in the crossword puzzle.

Display the following sentence: Naomi helps Luis realize that there is an alternative to the life he is living.

Across 1. The boys did not have a tent, so they created a ________________ one from old blankets. 2. Reveal the secret, or I will ________________ you until you tell it to me.

Explain that alternative is an academic word that refers to a choice one can make or a different course of action a person can choose. For example, an alternative to going to war might be to have the parties involved discuss the issues that are causing their conflict. In casual conversation, someone might say that they are willing to accept a certain situation because it is better than the alternative. Ask: What alternatives did Naomi offer Luis? (Meeting Naomi showed Luis that he could let his feelings show, rather than keep them locked away.)

3. Sarah treated her great-grandmother’s diary like a valuable ____________. Down 4. My little brother uses his toy sword to ________________ the snowmen in our yard. 5. At the antique shop, Maria found a lovely, ________________ dress for the dance.

1. m

a

4. d e c a p i t a t e 3. r k

s

l

5. v i n t a 2. h g e h

i

f

t

r

a

s

s

c

B. Denotation and Connotation Reread in the story the sentence that contains each word below. Write the connotative meanings the word has for you. 1. harassing Possible answer: negative. It suggests anti-social behavior or behavior that is against Connotations: ______________________________________________________________________________ the law. 2. makeshift answer: neutral. It suggests something that is not particularly sturdy, but a Connotations: Possible ______________________________________________________________________________ clever solution to a problem. 3. vintage Possible answer: positive. It suggests something that is well-kept and worth keeping. Connotations: ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. decapitate Possible answer: neutral or negative. Connotations: ______________________________________________________________________________

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Writing Link Postcard Have students think about the way the junkyard will look after Luis and Mr. Cintrón finish reorganizing it. Have them draw a picture of the newly-organized junkyard on the front of the postcard. On the back, they should create an ad for the junkyard. The postcard should include the name of the junkyard, Jorge Cintrón & Son, Auto Parts and Salvage. It should also reflect the personalities of Luis and his father. Create mobiles to display the postcards so that both sides are visible.

Catch the Moon

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After You Read

After You Read

ON

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Three-Column Chart In “Catch the Moon, ” the narrator reveals a great deal of information about Luis, but not as much about the other characters. How would “Catch the Moon” be different if one of the characters told the story from his or her point of view? What would Luis share about his thoughts and feelings? What would you learn from Mr. Cintrón? What would Naomi say in her version of the story? A three-column chart can help you organize and compare this type of information. Reread the scene in which Luis, Mr. Cintrón, and Naomi meet in the junkyard. Then use the chart below to record what each character might reveal if he or she were telling the story. Remember to use the words I, me, my, we, or us when you refer to the character in the first person. Details that Luis Reveals

Details that Mr. Cintrón Reveals

Details that Naomi Reveals

Details might include: My dad doesn’t know if we have this hubcap; I don’t like working in the junkyard; I would like to get to know this girl.

Details might include: I want to do a good job for this young woman; I am proud of the work I do here; I miss my wife.

Mr. Cintrón looks so sad; if this young man is his son, he certainly has changed since his mother’s funeral; I hope they can find the hubcap I want.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 67–76 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing memoir. Reading: Drawing conclusions about author’s beliefs.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Essay Explain to students that this essay is an account of a person’s life or a large part of a person’s life written by that person. A memoir is a first-person account about a specific event or memory. A writer chooses to tell a memoir because they want to share something important they learned from the event or memory detailed in the memoir. Tell students that Angelou has written five autobiographies and several collections of poetry.

Living Well. Living Good. by Maya Angelou


067-076_G10_APP_LiveGood.indd 67

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Essay Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Analogies • Academic Vocabulary


Reading Strategy • Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs

Literary Element • Memoir

Writing Link • Character Sketch BLM Grammar Link • Main Verbs: Principal Parts BLM



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Before You Read

Before You Read

Living Well. Living Good. Connect to the Essay Some people believe that the more money and possessions they have, the happier they will be. Other people believe that all the money in the world can’t buy happiness or love. Think about what makes people happy. Then answer the following questions. Write your answers on the lines below.

Connect to the Essay Ask students whether or not they think money can buy happiness. Many students may think money is the key to happiness because they see this idea portrayed in the media. Remind them that even though money can buy things, it cannot buy people or love. Ask them to think about whether they would rather be surrounded by good friends and family or by objects. Then have them complete the anticipation guide and discuss their responses with a partner.

Possible answer: with my friends or family. 1. I am happiest when I am ________________________________________________________________________ Possible answer: being yourself and enjoying life. 2. I think the key to happiness is ____________________________________________________________________ somewhat Possible answer: I like to have new things and be 3. Money is ________________ important to me because _______________________________________________ able to go out with friends. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

Build Background Read the Build Background note with students. Help them understand how growing up as an African American in the pre-civil rights movement South affected Angelou. You might want to tell students that Angelou was, for most of her life, raised by her grandmother and that she had a son when she was seventeen. Angelou worked hard despite her difficult circumstances to become a famous and influential writer.

•

Maya Angelou spent much of her childhood being raised by her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. She overcame a difficult early life to become one of the most influential African American women of her time.

•

Angelou traveled the world, working as an actress, singer, dancer, journalist, and lecturer. When she returned to the United States, she decided to write about her family and growing up in the South.

•

African Americans have many traditions that were brought to the United States by enslaved African peoples. One tradition, sometimes called “soul food,” combines African and European cooking methods. In this excerpt, Angelou’s aunt cooks a meal of pigs’ feet, greens, and fried chicken, all of which would be considered “soul food.”

Summarize what you just read about Angelou and her life in the South. Write your answer on the lines below. Maya Angelou faced many problems when she was young. When she grew up, she became very influential. She ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ had all kinds of different jobs and wrote an autobiography. In her writing, she mentions African-American styles ____________________________________________________________________________________________________


of cooking. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have students work in pairs to make a list of things they hope to find out about Angelou from this memoir.

Set Purposes for Reading Read to learn the conclusions the author draws about what is most important in life.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Memoir

A memoir is a type of narrative nonfiction that describes an event or memory from the author’s life. A memoir is usually written in the first person (using I, my, and me) and shares a specific personal experience. Some writers also reveal why that event or memory was important to them and how it affected them. If you were writing a memoir, what facts, details, and memories would you include? On a separate sheet of paper, make a list of events in your life. For each item, note why you would include it or how it affected you. Students should list events from their lives which were important to them and which affected them in some way.

Literary Element Memoir Ask students to explain what a memoir is and how it is different from an autobiography. Then have them work with a partner to share some of the ideas they listed that they think would make a good memoir. Let students know that they do not need to share any sensitive personal information.

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs Most authors don’t directly state their beliefs. Instead, they give you clues about them. Finding these clues and using them to draw conclusions about the author’s beliefs will help you understand the text. As you read, pay attention to the details that help you draw conclusions about what Angelou believes. Use the chart below to track the details and your conclusions. Details from “Living Well. Living Good.” • Angelou writes about her Aunt Tee. • Angelou would visit Aunt Tee to hear her stories.

Vocabulary

My Conclusions • Family is important to Angelou. • Angelou values storytelling.

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs

Analogies

An analogy shows a relationship between two things. The type of analogy you might see on a test compares two sets of relationships. You will be given a pair of words that are related in some way. You have to figure out the relationship, and then choose the pair of words that has a similar relationship. For example: loud : quiet :: happy : sad

Vocabulary

Ask students why they think it’s important to look for clues about the author’s beliefs. (Possible answer: Figuring out what an author’s beliefs are will help you in finding out what the author’s purpose is in writing a piece of literature.)

meticulous (mi tikˊ yə ləs) adj. very concerned about details commodious (kə mōˊ dē əs) adj. having or containing a lot of space; spacious convivial (kən vivˊ ē əl) adj. fond of parties with good company; sociable

Read this example as “Loud is to quiet as happy is to sad.” In this example, the words in each pair are antonyms (opposites). Now look at this analogy:

scenario (si nārʼ ē ōˊ) n. an outline or model of a series of events

car : drive :: fork : eat

inhibit (in hibʼ it) v. to hold back one’s natural impulses; restrain

Vocabulary Analogies

What is the relationship between the words in the analogy? Circle your answer. Part to whole Object to use Synonyms



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Tell students that writers sometimes use analogies. An analogy can help a reader understand a difficult or unfamiliar concept by comparing it to something that is familiar. Then review analogies that appear in tests and explain the different types of analogies students will likely see, such as association or usage, part/whole, example/class, synonym, antonym, and object/characteristic.

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: Someone who is meticulous pays close attention to details, like a jewelry appraiser. Example: Proofreaders are meticulous when they are reading. Ask: Do you know someone who is meticulous? What is that person meticulous about? EXAMPLE

Something that is commodious is roomy, not cramped or tight. Because he was so small, the medium-sized shirt was commodious on him. What type of place can you think of that is commodious? What type of place can you think of that is not commodious? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Someone that is convivial is not unfriendly or hostile. Though I usually expect clowns to be convivial, this one looked mean and angry. Which characters are you familiar with from television, movies, and literature who are decidedly not convivial? ANTONYM

A scenario is a plan of expected or imagined series of events. The worst-case scenario is that it will rain and the party will be ruined. When have you had to make a scenario? DESCRIPTION When you inhibit yourself, you hold yourself back instead of allowing yourself to follow your impulses. Too many rules can inhibit a child’s sense of playfulness. When is it a good idea to inhibit yourself? When is it not a good idea? COMPARE AND CONTRAST


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Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Memoir Explain to students that the first four paragraphs of this autobiography provide background information. Explain to students that this part of the memoir is known as the exposition. Reading the exposition is necessary to understand the rest of the story. Angelou describes her aunt because readers need to know what type of person Aunt Tee is so the story seems real and believable. Ask: What did you learn about Aunt Tee on the first page of this memoir? (Aunt Tee was retired, but she had been a maid and a live-in housekeeper. She lived alone and her apartment was very clean. Everything seemed stiff, but Aunt Tee was relaxed and fun. She liked to tell stories, and Angelou loved to listen to them.)

Living Well. Living Good. Literary Element Memoir Angelou begins her memoir with the first time she met her aunt. Then she gives a detailed description of her aunt. Complete the sentence: Angelou describes her aunt because it helps the reader

see how she feels about her _______________________________ aunt and why her aunt was _______________________________ important in her life. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Aunt Tee was a Los Angeles member of our extended family.1 She was seventy-nine when I met her, sinewy,2 strong, and the color of old lemons. She wore her coarse, straight hair, which was slightly streaked with gray, in a long braided rope across the top of her head. With her high cheekbones, old gold skin, and almond eyes, she looked more like an Indian chief than an old black woman. (Aunt Tee described herself and any favored member of her race as Negroes. Black was saved for those who had incurred her disapproval.) She had retired and lived alone in a dead, neat ground-floor apartment. Wax flowers and china figurines sat on elaborately embroidered and heavily starched doilies. Sofas and chairs were tautly upholstered. The only thing at ease in Aunt Tee’s apartment was Aunt Tee. I used to visit her often and perch on her uncomfortable sofa just to hear her stories. She was proud that after working thirty years as a maid, she spent the next thirty years as a livein housekeeper, carrying the keys to rich houses and keeping meticulous accounts. “Living in lets the white folks know Negroes are as neat and clean as they are, sometimes more so. And it gives the Negro maid a chance to see white folks ain’t no smarter than Negroes. Just luckier. Sometimes.”

Literary Element Memoir Underline the word in the highlighted passage that gives you a clue that this work of literature is a memoir.

Vocabulary

Literary Element Memoir

meticulous (mi tikˊ yə ləs) adj. characterized by great or excessive concern about detail

Point out that it is important to recognize that this essay is a memoir so students understand that Angelou is telling this story with the goal of sharing the lesson she learned from it. Remind students to pay attention to the details of the story to help them understand the lesson Angelou is sharing.

1. Parents and their children make up what is called the nuclear family. One’s extended family includes other relatives who are related by blood or marriage, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. 2. Here, sinewy (sinʼ Ū ē) could mean “physically powerful” or “energetically healthy.”

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Language Note African American Vernacular English: The Verb to be Some students might have difficulty with the contracted forms of are and is, as in we’re, you’re, they’re, he’s, and she’s. Speakers of African American vernacular English might, where standard English uses these contractions, eliminate the verb is, as in “They going to the store.” Make sure students know that in standard English, they must not delete the contracted forms of is and are. Ask students to make statements about what they have learned so far in this lesson, using the contracted forms of is and are. Model Aunt Tee’s retired. Make sure that students understand when the contracted forms of these verbs should be used, and that they do not eliminate these verbs as they make their statements.

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Living Well. Living Good. Aunt Tee told me that once she was housekeeper for a couple in Bel Air,3 California, lived with them in a fourteenroom ranch house. There was a day maid who cleaned, and a gardener who daily tended the lush gardens. Aunt Tee oversaw the workers. When she had begun the job, she had cooked and served a light breakfast, a good lunch, and a full three- or fourcourse dinner to her employers and their guests. Aunt Tee said she watched them grow older and leaner. After a few years they stopped entertaining and ate dinner hardly seeing each other at the table. Finally, they sat in a dry silence as they ate evening meals of soft scrambled eggs, melba toast, and weak tea. Aunt Tee said she saw them growing old but didn’t see herself aging at all. She became the social maven.4 She started “keeping company” (her phrase) with a chauffeur down the street. Her best friend and her friend’s husband worked in service5 only a few blocks away. On Saturdays Aunt Tee would cook a pot of pigs’ feet, a pot of greens, fry chicken, make potato salad, and bake a banana pudding. Then, that evening, her friends—the chauffeur, the other housekeeper, and her husband—would come to Aunt Tee’s commodious live-in quarters. There the four would eat and drink, play records and dance. As the evening wore on, they would settle down to a serious game of bid whist.6 Naturally, during this revelry jokes were told, fingers snapped, feet were patted, and there was a great deal of laughter. Aunt Tee said that what occurred during every Saturday party startled her and her friends the first time it happened.They had been playing cards, and Aunt Tee, who had just won the bid, held a handful of trumps. She felt a cool breeze on her back and sat upright and turned around. Her employers had cracked her door open and beckoned to her. Aunt Tee, a little peeved, laid down her cards and went to the door. The couple backed away and asked her to come into the hall, and there they both spoke and won Aunt Tee’s sympathy forever. “Theresa, we don’t mean to disturb you . . .” the man whispered, “but you all seem to be having such a good time . . .”


Vocabulary commodious (kə mōˊ dē əs) adj. having or containing ample room; spacious


Read and Discuss Read the description of Saturday nights at Aunt Tee’s living quarters. As you read, underline details that describe what Aunt Tee and her friends did. Then discuss with a partner what these details reveal about Aunt Tee and her friends. What do you think they were like? Do you think it would have been fun to be at these parties?

Students should understand that the gatherings at Aunt Tee’s on Saturday nights are filled with laughter, games, and talk. These friends enjoy being with each other and do not need lots of money to make them happy. Ask students to share their feelings about these evenings and if they would have liked to be part of them.

Answers will vary, but most ____________________________ students will say the parties ____________________________ sound like fun and that ____________________________ her friends seem like they ____________________________ enjoy life and one another’s ____________________________ company. ____________________________

3. Bel Air is one of the wealthiest, most fashionable communities in Los Angeles. 4. A maven is one who has special knowledge or experience and is an expert in a given field. 5. Aunt Tee’s two friends in service are servants in another household. 6. Bid whist is a card game, somewhat like bridge, for two players or two teams of two players each.



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Living Well. Living Good. Reading Strategy


Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs How do you think Angelou feels about money? Do you think she believes that things make people happy? Write your answers on the lines below.

She probably doesn’t think _______________________________ money is very important. The _______________________________ people she describes are rich _______________________________

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs Write two headings on the board, one reading “Important” and the other reading “Unimportant.” Ask: Based on this statement, what do you think Angelou feels is important in life? (Possible answers: pride, friends, family, having fun) Ask: Based on this statement, what do you think Angelou feels is unimportant in life? (Possible answers: money, possessions, fancy cars, big houses) Write students’ answers on the board under the corresponding headings.

Literary Element Memoir Ask: Do you think this was a worthwhile lesson to share? (Many students will say it was.) Ask students to discuss with a partner what they learned from this story and how they could apply it to their own lives.

but have “no joy.” _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Literary Element Memoir Why does Angelou share this story with the reader? Why has she remembered it for so long? Circle the reason you think Angelou included this story in her memoir. It probably affected the way she looked at life and tried to live her own life.

The woman added, “We hear you and your friends laughing every Saturday night, and we’d just like to watch you. We don’t want to bother you. We’ll be quiet and just watch.” The man said, “If you’ll just leave your door ajar, your friends don’t need to know. We’ll never make a sound.” Aunt Tee said she saw no harm in agreeing, and she talked it over with her company. They said it was OK with them, but it was sad that the employers owned the gracious house, the swimming pool, three cars, and numberless palm trees, but had no joy. Aunt Tee told me that laughter and relaxation had left the house; she agreed it was sad. That story has stayed with me for nearly thirty years, and when a tale remains fresh in my mind, it almost always contains a lesson which will benefit me. My dears, I draw the picture of the wealthy couple standing in a darkened hallway, peering into a lighted room where black servants were lifting their voices in merriment and comradery, and I realize that living well is an art which can be developed. Of course, you will need the basic talents to build upon: They are a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings, an assurance that the world owes you nothing and that every gift is exactly that, a gift. That people who may differ from you in political stance, sexual persuasion, and racial inheritance can be founts of fun, and if you are lucky, they can become even convivial comrades. Living life as art requires a readiness to forgive. I do not mean that you should suffer fools gladly, but rather remember your own shortcomings, and when you encounter another with flaws, don’t be eager to righteously seal yourself away from the offender forever. Take a few breaths and imagine yourself having just committed the action which has set you at odds.

It probably made her feel sorry for the employers and other rich people. It probably made her want to be a live-in housekeeper.

Vocabulary convivial (kən vivˊ ē əl) adj. fond of merriment and parties with good company; sociable

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Living Well. Living Good. Because of the routines we follow, we often forget that life is an ongoing adventure. We leave our homes for work, acting and even believing that we will reach our destinations with no unusual event startling us out of our set expectations. The truth is we know nothing, not where our cars will fail or when our buses will stall, whether our places of employment will be there when we arrive, or whether, in fact, we ourselves will arrive whole and alive at the end of our journeys. Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art: to bring all our energies to each encounter, to remain flexible enough to notice and admit when what we expected to happen did not happen. We need to remember that we are created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed. Life seems to love the liver of it. Money and power can liberate only if they are used to do so. They can imprison and inhibit more finally than barred windows and iron chains.

Vocabulary scenarios (si nārʼ ē ōˊ) n. an outline or model of an expected or imagined series of events

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs Reread the last three paragraphs of the memoir. What do you think Angelou believes about living and life? Check all that apply. ■ Money and power will always make you happy. ✓ You can have fun even if you ■ don’t have a lot of money. ✓ You need to take pleasure in ■ small things. ✓ You need to be able to forgive ■ and accept other people who may be different. ■ You should always follow a routine.

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs If students are unsure which to choose, have them reread the last four paragraphs, underlining details they find important. Let them know that this will help them draw conclusions.

Vocabulary inhibit (in hibʼ it) v. to hold back one’s natural impulses; restrain

READING CHECK Clarify Why do you think Aunt Tee and her friends agree to let her employers watch them every Saturday night? How do they feel about her employers? Students should understand that Aunt Tee and her friends ______________________________________________________ feel sorry for the employers because they have all of these ______________________________________________________ beautiful things but have forgotten how to enjoy them. ______________________________________________________ Aunt Tee and her friends may think by watching them, the ______________________________________________________ employers can learn how to have fun again. ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Clarify Ask: If you were Aunt Tee or one of her friends, would you have let her employers watch you? Why or why not? (Some students say they would have because they would have felt sorry for the employers. Others will say they would not have because they would have been unsettled by being watched by someone.)


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After You Read

After You Read


Connect to the Essay Look back at the answers you wrote on page 68. Did reading this memoir change your attitude about happiness or about money? Would you change any of your answers? Why or why not?

Connect to the Essay

Students should explain which answers, if any, they would change and why. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have students write a short sentence stating the lesson they would want to teach in their memoir. Divide students into small groups and have them share their memoirs’ lessons.

Literary Element

Memoir

Now that you have read this example of memoir, what do you think a good memoir should include or be about? Complete the sentence. answer: about a personal incident or memory that affected the writer A good memoir should be Possible __________________________________________________________________________ deeply and that can help the reader learn something important or interesting. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Look back at the list of memories and events you were asked to make on page 69. Which memory do you think would make the best memoir? Why? Students should choose a memory or experience and explain what it taught them or why it would be a _________________________________________________________________________________________________ good memoir. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ How do you think your memoir would compare to Angelou’s memoir? Possible answer: My memoir would be funnier because the memory I am describing is humorous. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Author’s Beliefs Look back over the Reading Strategy chart you made on page 69. Then use the sentence frames below to summarize your conclusions about the memoir. The description of how the meals Aunt Tee cooked for her employers changed over the years shows that Angelou believes the employers stopped enjoying life. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ . The comparison between the meals Aunt Tee makes for her employers and the ones she makes for her friends shows that Angelou believes that you shouldn’t stop enjoying life when you grow old and that being with friends is what makes life _________________________________________________________________________________________________ worthwhile. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ .

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Main Verbs: Principal Parts Prepare students to complete the activity on page A13. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read

After You Read


Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Think about the meaning of the boldface word as you read the sentence. Does the vocabulary word make sense in the context of the sentence? If it does, circle “true.” If not, circle “false.”

Academic Vocabulary

1. The meticulous housekeeper left piles of magazines and papers everywhere. true

false

Write the following sentence on the board: Angelou’s memoir promotes seeing life as an adventure.

2. My sister moved out of our parents’ commodious house because there wasn’t enough room for four people to live there. true

false

Tell students that promote is an academic word that has multiple meanings. An employee might get promoted to a more important position or a store might advertise to promote a big sale.

3. Our convivial grandfather prefers eating out with friends to eating at home alone. true

false

4. Becky gave a detailed scenario of everything that could possibly go wrong with our plan. true

false

Divide students into pairs. Have them look up the word promote in a dictionary and read its multiple definitions. Have them discuss the similarities and the differences in the meanings of the words promote.

5. My parents always encourage us because they don’t want to inhibit us from following our dreams. true

false

B. Analogies For each item below, decide what the relationship is between the first pair of words. Then apply that relationship to complete the second pair of words. Finally, explain how the two pairs are related. In each expression, “:” means “is to” and “::” means “as.” 1. meticulous : perfectionist :: irritable : ________________ a happy

c anger

b loveable

d grouch

A perfectionist is meticulous, and a grouch is irritable. Relationship: _____________________________________________________________________________ 2. commodious : cramped :: careful : ________________ a precise

c sloppy

b caring

d gigantic

The words are antonyms. Relationship: _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. convivial : socialite :: victorious : ________________ a winner

c loser

b careless

d spacious

socialite is convivial, and a winner is victorious. Relationship: A_____________________________________________________________________________ Living Well. Living Good.


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Writing Link Character Sketch Have students think about a person from whom they learned a valuable lesson. Tell them to write a short paragraph describing this person. Their paragraphs should use specific details to give the reader a clear and accurate picture of the person. The paragraph should also relate the lesson the student learned from this person. Students’ paragraphs should • identify one person and precisely describe him or her • explain the lesson learned • use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting (an indent at the beginning of the paragraph)


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After You Read

After You Read


Main Idea and Details Reread the last three paragraphs of the memoir. Here Angelou explains the lessons she learned from Aunt Tee’s experience with her employers. For each paragraph, circle the main idea. Then find at least three details that support that main idea. In your own words, write the main ideas and details in the chart below. Main Idea: To be happy, a person has to be able to forgive other people.

Main Idea: “Life is pure adventure.”

Detail: Think about your own faults.

Detail: We get bogged down in doing the same things day after day.

Detail: “Take a few breaths” and calm down.

Detail: We don’t have as much control over events as we think.

Detail: Imagine what it would be like to be the person who was in the wrong.

Detail: We are smart enough to figure out new plans when our old plans don’t work out.

Main Idea: Action, not money, is essential to life.

Detail: Money and power don’t always bring freedom. Detail: Money and power can actually make you less free if you don’t use them properly. Detail: Don’t let your possessions control or limit how you live your life.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 77–88, 306–307 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing structure.

Activate Prior Knowledge

Reading: Drawing conclusions about meaning.

Talk About the Essay Explain to students that essays can be written to persuade, to explain, or to express an opinion and can be classified as formal or informal. Tell students that “The Tucson Zoo” is an informal personal essay. A personal essay explores the meaning and effect of an observation or experience in the author’s life. In this essay, the author Lewis Thomas talks about the feelings and thoughts evoked by a visit to the Tucson Zoo. Ask: What kind of feelings do you have at the zoo? (wonder, delight, happiness)

The Tucson Zoo

by Lewis Thomas

The Tucson Zoo

077-088_G10_APP_TucsonZoo.indd 77

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Essay Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Antonyms • Academic Vocabulary


Reading Strategy • Draw Conclusions about Meaning

Literary Element • Structure

Writing Link • Journal Entry BLM Grammar Link • Irregular Verbs I BLM


The Tucson Zoo

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Before You Read

Before You Read

The Tucson Zoo

Connect to the Essay “The Tucson Zoo” includes an author’s observations and reflections upon visiting a zoo, where he finds himself having a strong reaction to some of the animals. Is there any particular animal to which you have a strong reaction? Where have you seen this animal? How does this animal make you feel? Fill in the sentence frame below to make a statement about your reaction to this animal.

Connect to the Essay To help students think about animals to which they have had emotional reactions, have them brainstorm a list of animals they have seen at zoos or even in their daily lives. Ask: How do you feel when you see them? (Students may feel scared if the animal is dangerous or happy if the animal is playful.)

When I see a/an __________________________________________ at ________________________________________ , answer: When I see an elephant at the zoo, I feel like laughing. I feel Possible _______________________________________________________________________________________________.

Build Background Lewis Thomas was a renowned physician and research biologist who taught at some of the top medical schools in the United States. In his essay, “The Tucson Zoo,” Thomas uses many technical terms to discuss the human organism and the workings of the brain’s two hemispheres.

Build Background Read the Build Background note with students. Ask students if they know any facts about the brain that were not covered in the note. Help students understand that the brain serves many purposes. Explain that the brain controls emotions, learning, speech, and motor skills.

•

A brain’s cerebral cortex deals with the higher brain functions. It is composed of two parts: the left and right hemispheres.

•

The left hemisphere is in charge of analytical thinking and facts. It is responsible for recognizing parts of a whole.

•

The right hemisphere is the creative side and deals with emotions and feelings. It distinguishes the whole of something from its parts.

•

The corpus callosum, the nerve tissue that allows the left side and right sides of the brain to communicate.

may write they would Now, write down a fact you would like to learn about the brain in the space provided. Students ____________________________ like to learn about other parts of the brain. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have students work in small groups to develop a list of more purposes for reading. Perhaps they would like to know more about the brain and its various functions or perhaps they would like to know more about ethology, the study of animal behavior. Encourage them to look for answers as they read.

Set Purposes for Reading As you read, think about how Thomas explores his encounter with the animals at the Tucson Zoo, and how he interprets this encounter as a journey of human discovery.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Structure

The order or pattern a writer uses to present ideas is referred to as structure. Narratives usually follow a chronological order, but the structure of persuasive or expository writing may vary. Work with a partner to list some other ways writers can structure a text. Possible answers: listing detailed information; using cause and effect; describing a problem and offering a solution ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element Structure Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning

Explain to students that an essay’s structure is the pattern a writer uses to present ideas. Tell students that there are many ways to structure a text. Tell students that they may be most familiar with chronological order, or when events are organized with a beginning, middle, and end.

Writers often tell you more than they say directly in their writing. When you draw conclusions, you use various pieces of information to make a broad statement about what the writer is telling you, using hints or clues in the text. This can help you read “between the lines.” Use the chart below to list some of the conclusions you draw in your everyday life. Write a brief description of the hints or clues that helped you come to the conclusion. Clues Possible answer: A long wait in traffic.

Conclusions Possible answer: There’s an accident ahead.

Ask students to volunteer other organizational patterns they have encountered. If students have difficulty, offer examples such as cause-and-effect (or effect-andcause), describing a problem and offering a solution, and compare and contrast.

Note Taking This selection will guide you to take notes, which will help you understand and remember what you read. Taking notes while you read will help you perform better on tests and use the knowledge you have gained in other settings as well. You will use the following skills in taking notes during this selection. Skill Reread

Have students break into small groups and create examples for each of these structures.

Description Look back over the page you have read.

Record

Write down your answers to the questions you are given.

Recap

Briefly review in your own words.

Summarize

Briefly state the main points.

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning Vocabulary

Vocabulary Antonyms Many words in English have opposites. For example, look at the words tall and short. These words are known as antonyms and have the exact opposite or nearly opposite meaning. Antonyms are always the same part of speech. For example, the words hyper and calm are antonyms and are both adjectives. Which of the following words is an antonym for pleased? Underline your answer.

elation (i lāʼ shən) n. a feeling of joy and pride; ecstasy intact (in tāktʼ) adj. undamaged in any way; whole; having all parts exultation (egʼ zul tāʼ shən) n. a feeling of extreme happiness

unhappy

debasement (di bāsʼ mənt) n. the state of being lowered in quality, character, or value

content

attribute (atʼ rə būt) n. a quality or characteristic of a person or object

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The Tucson Zoo


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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: Elation is a wonderful feeling. Example: I was elated to see the first snow of the season. I love snow. Ask: What gives you a feeling of elation? EXAMPLE When something is intact, it is complete and whole. The car was finally intact after three months with the mechanic. How is broken related to intact? ANTONYM

The feeling of exultation is even stronger than elation. It is the ultimate feeling of happiness. When my baby sister was born, my parents felt exultation. What word is similar to exultation? SYNONYMS

Explain to students that when readers draw conclusions about meaning they are actively thinking and interpreting content while they are reading. Tell students that drawing conclusions about meaning is a skill we learn early in life and use nearly every day. Ask students to provide examples of instances where they have drawn conclusions. Model When I see a large flock of birds flying together, I conclude that it is getting colder. I conclude this because I know that some animals fly south to hibernate in the winter.

Note Taking Explain to students that taking notes will help them as they read this and other texts. Let students know that they can benefit from note taking even when they do not have these pages to guide them. Encourage them to write down important facts, words, characters, and events as they read, no matter what the subject matter might be.

Continue this process with debasement and attribute.

The Tucson Zoo

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The Tucson Zoo

The Tucson Zoo

Read and Discuss


Reread the first paragraph in small groups. Discuss with a partner why people would be worried about science’s use of reductionism. Try to think of real world examples.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students are having difficulty, ask students to consider how they would feel if their doctor treated their symptoms but not their illness. To help students further their discussions, have them debate whether Thomas’ claim that the public is anxious about science is true.

Science gets most of its information by the process of reductionism,1 exploring the details, then the details of the details, until all the smallest bits of the structure, or the smallest parts of the mechanism, are laid out for counting and scrutiny. Only when this is done can the investigation be extended to encompass the whole organism or the entire system. So we say. Sometimes it seems that we take a loss, working this way. Much of today’s public anxiety about science is the apprehension that we may forever be overlooking the whole by an endless, obsessive preoccupation with the parts. I had a brief, personal experience of this misgiving one afternoon in Tucson, where I had time on my hands and visited the zoo, just outside the city. The designers there have cut a deep pathway between two small artificial ponds, walled by clear glass, so when you stand in the center of the path you can look into the depths of each pool, and at the same time you can regard the surface. In one pool, on the right side of the path, is a family of otters; on the other side, a family of beavers. Within just a few feet from your face, on either side, beavers and otters are at play, underwater and on the surface, swimming toward your face and then away, more filled with life than any creatures I have ever seen before, in all my days. Except for the glass, you could reach across and touch them.

1. Reductionism is a method of explaining complex processes or structures by reducing them to more basic principles or units.

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The Tucson Zoo

Note Taking

The Tucson Zoo


swiveling it is a very descriptive word 1. The most interesting word on this page is _______________ because ________________________________ .

apprehension an uneasy or fearful feeling . 2. One word that I didn’t know on this page is __________________. It means __________________________

Note Taking

looks at the parts to learn about 3. One thing that I read on this page that I already knew was science ________________________________________

To help students get started, you might want to model your thinking process for completing one of the items.

the whole _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

the process by which science gets information 4. One thing I learned on this page that I didn’t know is that _____________________________________________ is called reductionism _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

5. Recap, or write in your own words Thomas’s experience upon entering the pathway between the artificial sure that students have put what they learned into their ponds created for otters and beavers. Make ___________________________________________________________ own words and not merely restated phrases from the article. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

is the scientific 6. Summarize the process by which science gets most of its information. Reductionism ______________________________ process of studying the smallest parts of a mechanism or structure. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Most Interesting Word Possible answer: swiveling

Most Difficult Word Possible answer: apprehension

One Thing I Already Knew Possible answer: Science looks at the parts to learn about the whole.

One Thing I Learned Possible answer: The process by which science gets information is called reductionism.

The Tucson Zoo


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Language Note African American Vernacular English: When students respond to the Literary Element, remind them to use the past tense in describing the narrator’s trip to the zoo. When using past tense verbs, students should be careful to pronounce the –ed sound at the end of the verb. For example, students should say, “Thomas was fascinated by the otters and beavers” instead of “Thomas was fascinate by the otters and beavers” In a small group, have students repeat the following sentences after you. Then have them write down each past tense verb as you model saying the sentences again. 1. Thomas was transfixed by the otters and beavers. 2. Thomas worked as a doctor, research biologist, and a writer. 3. After his trip to the zoo, Thomas concluded that the whole is more important than the details.

The Tucson Zoo

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The Tucson Zoo

The Tucson Zoo Vocabulary elation (i lāʼ shən) n. a feeling of joy and pride; ecstasy

Vocabulary Skill


Antonyms Thomas uses the word elation to describe his initial emotion as he walked along the path at the Tucson Zoo. Check all the words below that are antonyms of elation. ✓ despair ■ ■ happiness ✓ unhappiness ■ ✓ misery ■ ■ contentment

Vocabulary Antonyms Remind students that antonyms are words that have opposite or nearly opposite meanings and are always the same part of speech. Point out that elation is a noun.

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning Have students reread the last two paragraphs of this page. Have them underline the text that describes Thomas’ reaction to seeing the beavers and otters playing in their zoo environments. Ask: Why would a scientist want to avoid studying animals from only a scientific perspective? (A scientist may be so intrigued by the animals and their behavior—as well as their own response to their behavior—that he does not want to dilute the effect by focusing only on the scientific evaluation.) If students have difficulty understanding what Thomas means when he says he is “coded. . . for otters and beavers,” explain that human DNA codes for the traits we inherit. These codes dictate how we will react to certain stimuli, or an outside event that causes a certain reaction. Ask: What is the stimuli Thomas reacts to at the zoo? (The beavers and otters)

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Vocabulary intact (in tāktʼ) adj. undamaged in any way; whole; having all parts

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning What does Thomas come to realize about himself after watching the beavers and otters? a. He doesn’t like being around the beavers and otters. b. He likes being by himself unlike the beavers and otters.

I was transfixed. As I now recall it, there was only one sensation in my head: pure elation mixed with amazement at such perfection. Swept off my feet, I floated from one side to the other, swiveling my brain, staring astounded at the beavers, then at the otters. I could hear shouts across my corpus callosum, from one hemisphere to the other. I remember thinking, with what was left in charge of my consciousness, that I wanted no part of the science of beavers and otters; I wanted never to know how they performed their marvels; I wished for no news about the physiology2 of their breathing, the coordination of their muscles, their vision, their endocrine systems,3 their digestive tracts. I hoped never to have to think of them as collections of cells. All I asked for was the full hairy complexity, then in front of my eyes, of whole, intact beavers and otters in motion. It lasted, I regret to say, for only a few minutes, and then I was back in the late twentieth century, reductionist as ever, wondering about the details by force of habit, but not, this time, the details of otters and beavers. Instead, me. Something worth remembering had happened in my mind, I was certain of that; I would have put it somewhere in the brain stem; maybe this was my limbic system4 at work. I became a behavioral scientist, an experimental psychologist, an ethologist,5 and in the instant I lost all the wonder and the sense of being overwhelmed. I was flattened. But I came away from the zoo with something, a piece of news about myself: I am coded, somehow, for otters and beavers. I exhibit instinctive behavior in their presence, when they are displayed close at hand behind glass, simultaneously below water and at the surface. I have receptors6 for this display. Beavers and otters possess a “releaser” for me, in the terminology of ethology, and the releasing was my experience. What was released? Behavior. What behavior? Standing, swiveling flabbergasted, feeling exultation and a rush of friendship. I could not, as the result of the transaction, tell you anything more about beavers and otters than you already know. I learned nothing new about them.

c. He has an emotional connection to the beavers and otters. d. He enjoys living carefree like the beavers and otters. Underline the text that helped you draw this conclusion.

Vocabulary exultation (egʼ zul tāʼ shən) n. a feeling of extreme happiness

2. Physiology is the branch of biology that studies the functions of living organisms and their parts. 3. The endocrine system consists of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream, affecting such bodily processes such as growth and sexual development. 4. The limbic system is a region of the brain that is involved in the control of emotions and some types of behavior. 5. Ethology (eth olʼ ə jē) is the study of animal behavior, including instinctive, or inherited, behavior. 6. Receptor refers to a sensory nerve cell that responds to a stimulus in the environment and sends a message to the brain.

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The Tucson Zoo

Note Taking

The Tucson Zoo


1. How does Thomas apply science’s use of reductionism to seeing beavers and otters at the zoo? Possible answer: Thomas is giving readers an example of how reductionism would apply to the scientific _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Note Taking

study of beavers and otters. _____________________________________________________________________________________________


answer: He begins to 2. Why does Thomas lose the wonder and sense of being overwhelmed? Possible _____________________________ view the beavers and otters as a scientist would view them. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

answer: he is coded with awe while in 3. What behaviors does Thomas discover he is coded with? Possible __________________________________________ the presence of certain animals. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Make sure that students have 4. Recap, or write in your own words, what you learned by reading this page. __________________________ put what they learned by reading this page into their own words and not merely restated phrases from _____________________________________________________________________________________________ the article. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Use the chart to summarize Thomas’s view of some of the key problems with reductionism. Argument Possible answer: Obsession with parts tend to reduce the impact of the whole

Your Evaluation Possible answer: Focusing on the smaller parts of something will blind you to the big picture

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The Tucson Zoo

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The Tucson Zoo

The Tucson Zoo Read and Discuss Reread the first paragraph. Discuss with a partner why Thomas feels that it is human nature to feel affection towards others and towards animals. Underline the sentence that sums up his reasoning.

Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk Review the meaning of stereotype with students. Explain that a stereotype is a widely held mental image of what is commonly associated with members of a group. It is an oversimplified opinion. Give students an example of a stereotype: All people who wear glasses are very smart. Ask: What kind of stereotyped patterns does Thomas think humans are stamped with? (We react positively to seeing animals and people we like.)

Vocabulary debasement (di bāsʼ mənt) n. the state of being lowered in quality, character, or value

Vocabulary Skill Antonyms Thomas reasons that altruism is considered a sin by those who argue for individuality. If this is the case, what would be a better way to live? Circle the correct answer. charity selfishness

Vocabulary Antonyms

Only about me, and I suspect also about you, maybe about human beings at large: we are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are stamped with stereotyped, unalterable patterns of response, ready to be released. And the behavior released in us, by such confrontations, is, essentially, a surprised affection. It is compulsory behavior and we can avoid it only by straining with the full power of our conscious minds, making up conscious excuses all the way. Left to ourselves, mechanistic and autonomic,7 we hanker for friends. Everyone says, stay away from ants. They have no lessons for us; they are crazy little instruments, inhuman, incapable of controlling themselves, lacking manners, lacking souls. When they are massed together, all touching, exchanging bits of information held in their jaws like memoranda, they become a single animal. Look out for that. It is a debasement, a loss of individuality, a violation of human nature, an unnatural act. Sometimes people argue this point of view seriously and with deep thought. Be individuals, solitary and selfish, is the message. Altruism,8 a jargon word for what used to be called love, is worse than weakness, it is sin, a violation of nature. Be separate. Do not be a social animal. But this is a hard argument to make convincingly when you have to depend on language to make it. You have to print up leaflets or publish books and get them bought and sent around, you have to turn up on television and catch the attention of millions of other human beings all at once, and then you have to say to all of them, all at once, all collected and paying attention: be solitary; do not depend on each other. You can’t do this and keep a straight face.

Explain to students that altruism is an unselfish regard for others’ wellbeing. Ask: Which one of these words is the opposite of the definition of altruism? (selfishness)

7. In psychology, compulsory means “arising from an irresistible, illogical urge.” Here, mechanistic means physically or biologically determined, and autonomic means involuntary and spontaneous. 8. In ethology, altruism is an animal’s self-sacrificing behavior that benefits another animal or group of animals. Similarly, in humans, the term means “unselfish concern for others.”

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The Tucson Zoo

Note Taking

The Tucson Zoo


debasement answer: It expresses in 1. The most important word on this page is ________________ because Possible _______________________________ one word how those who believe in individuality view the whole or becoming part of a whole. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Note Taking

_____________________________________________________________________________________________


hanker to crave for something. 2. One word that I didn’t know on this page is ________________. It means ____________________________

answer: Some people think ants lack 3. One thing that I read on this page that I already knew Possible ____________________________________________ souls. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

answer: Altruism is looked down on in 4. One thing I learned on this page that I didn’t know is Possible _____________________________________________ favor of individuality. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Make sure that students have 5. Recap, or write in your own words, what you learned by reading this page. __________________________ put what they learned into their own words and not merely restated phrases from the article. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Summarize what you’ve recorded in the chart below: Most Important Word Possible answer: debasement

One Word I Didn’t Know Possible answer: hanker

One Thing I Already Knew Possible answer: Some people think ants lack souls.

One Thing I Learned Possible answer: Altruism is looked down on in favor of individuality.

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The Tucson Zoo

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The Tucson Zoo

The Tucson Zoo Vocabulary attribute (atʼ rə būt) n. a quality or characteristic of a person or object

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning Ask students to think about the tone Thomas has had towards human beings in his essay. Ask: In Thomas’ opinion, what has suffered in our civilization? (altruism) What is more important to society? (individuality) What kind of society would exist if altruism is looked down upon? (Possible answer: A cruel and unfriendly society)

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning What does Thomas think about altruism’s place in “our kind of civilization”?

Possible answer: Altruism is _______________________________ disguised as friendship. _______________________________

Maybe altruism is our most primitive attribute, out of reach, beyond our control. Or perhaps it is immediately at hand, waiting to be released, disguised now, in our kind of civilization, as affection or friendship or attachment. I don’t see why it should be unreasonable for all human beings to have strands of DNA coiled up in chromosomes, coding out instincts for usefulness and helpfulness. Usefulness may turn out to be the hardest test of fitness for survival, more important than aggression, more effective, in the long run, than grabbiness. If this is the sort of information biological science holds for the future, applying to us as well as to ants, then I am all for science. One thing I’d like to know most of all: when those ants have made the Hill, and are all there, touching and exchanging, and the whole mass begins to behave like a single huge creature, and thinks, what on earth is that thought? And while you’re at it, I’d like to know a second thing: when it happens, does any single ant know about it? Does his hair stand on end?

How do you think he feels about modern society? Fill out the sentence frame below. Thomas thinks modern society is

Possible answer: too aggressive _______________________________

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Antonyms Remind students that antonyms are always the same part of speech and have the opposite or nearly opposite meaning: Model A synonym for rational would be sane or normal.

debasement (di bāsʼ mənt) n. the state of being lowered in quality, character, or value

READING CHECK Vocabulary Skill Antonyms Circle the word on this page that is an antonym for rational.

Summarize What is Thomas curious to find out about ants’ interactions? Students should say that Thomas would like to learn ______________________________________________________ whether they are as amazed as he would be. ______________________________________________________

If students have difficulty, Ask: How does someone who is rational act? (Possible answers: logical, calm) How would someone act if they were the opposite of rational? (Angry, agitated, silly) Have students search for the word on the page that best fits the words they have suggested as an opposite.

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize Have students reread the last paragraph of “The Tucson Zoo.” Tell them to underline clues that might help them answer the question.

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The Tucson Zoo

Note Taking

The Tucson Zoo


1. What does Thomas feel may be the most primitive attribute in humans? altruism ____________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

Note Taking

2. What, according to Thomas, may be the hardest test of fitness for survival? Why do you think this is?


Students may mention that we could die out as a species if we have no higher purpose. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Make sure that students are 3. Recap in your own words what Thomas thinks about human nature. _______________________________ including the important points from the page in their recap, but that they are not including every single _____________________________________________________________________________________________ statement the author makes. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Summarize Thomas’s thoughts on human nature prompted by his visit to the Tucson Zoo. Students may say Thomas’s general thoughts on reductionism, altruism, what he learned about himself, _____________________________________________________________________________________________ and the human tendency towards selfishness. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

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The Tucson Zoo

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After You Read

The Tucson Zoo

After You Read

Connect to the Essay After reading the essay, how would you revise the sentence frame you wrote on page 78? Rewrite the sentence offering new insight into your reaction to the animal you chose.

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning

When I see a/an _______________________________________ at ________________________________________ , Possible answer: When I see elephants at the zoo, I feel amazement over their large size. I feel ___________________________________________________________________________________________ .

If students are having difficulty answering the questions, ask them the following questions:

Literary Element

Structure

Look back at the list you created before you read “The Tucson Zoo.” What structural tools from your list does Thomas use in his essay? Does he use structural tools not covered in your list? Use the chart below to revise your list. Record the structural tools Thomas used in the essay in the first column. Then provide examples from the text in the second column.

• How does reductionism compare with the author’s experience at the zoo? (Thomas is fascinated by the whole setting and behavior of the animals. He does not want to know about how they function, their physiology, or analyze their smallest parts.)

Structure

• What does Thomas think about altruism? (That it is a natural and primitive feeling that we cannot control.) • Does Thomas feel that altruism is beneficial? (Yes. Thomas feels that altruism is more beneficial to a species than egotism or self-centeredness because it helps the species as a whole to move forward and survive.)

Examples

Examples that support argument

“I had a brief personal experience of this misgiving one afternoon . . .”

Possible answer: Detailed information

Possible answer: “The designers there have cut a deep pathway. . .”

Possible answer: Transitional statements

Possible answer: “Something worth remembering had happened in my mind.”

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning When you draw conclusions about meaning, you make an educated interpretation about information and ideas presented in a reading. Drawing conclusions will help you to better understand the theme or message of the author. Consider all the information presented to you in “The Tucson Zoo.” Then answer the questions below. 1. Why does Thomas feel he had such a strong reaction to seeing the beavers and otters?

After Reading

Students may say Thomas believes his reactions were instinctual reactions that all humans are possibly _____________________________________________________________________________________________ coded with. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Have students complete the after reading activities on pages 306 and 307.

2. What does Thomas think about the fate of humanity? Explain. Students may say Thomas suggests if humans forego altruism and dependency on one another, they are _____________________________________________________________________________________________ giving up one of the most important tools for survival and could become extinct. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ For more practice, see pages 306–307.

➡

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Irregular Verbs I Prepare students to complete the activity on page A14. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 89–98, 308 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing thesis. Reading: Analyzing text structure.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Essay Remind students that an essay is a short piece of writing about a particular topic. A reflective essay is a personal essay in which the author thinks back on events or themes in his or her life and connects them to the present. Inform students that “Straw into Gold: Metamorphosis of the Everyday” is a reflective essay by the Mexican American author, Sandra Cisneros. In this work, Cisneros describes childhood experiences and their influence on her writing. Explain to students that this essay depicts aspects of Mexican culture. Ask: What do you know about Mexico and Mexican culture? (Students may know the location of Mexico and general information about the weather in Mexico. They might also know something about Mexican food and clothing.)

Straw into Gold:

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday by Sandra Cisneros


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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Essay

Literary Element • Thesis

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Analogies • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Analyze Text Structure



Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (question mark) Word Study • Synonyms BLM

BLM

BLM Grammar Link • Irregular Verbs II BLM



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Before You Read

Before You Read

Straw into Gold:

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Connect to the Essay In this essay, Sandra Cisneros writes about how she became a writer. Cisneros feels the hardships and joys she encountered growing up have made her the writer and person she is today. Write for a few minutes about how life’s difficulties can help someone achieve their goals.

Connect to the Essay Ask students to respond to the prompt. Then have them discuss their answers with a partner or in small groups. Have them discuss famous figures or people they know who have overcome difficulties to meet their goals.

Possible answer: Going through hard times can make people resourceful and determined to meet a goal that ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ can help them live a better life. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

Build Background

Read the Build Background note with students. Have students understand the connection between moving frequently and feeling like an outsider. Ask: What would make someone feel like an outsider? (Being new, not understanding a language)

•

Sandra Cisneros is a Mexican American author who was born in Chicago.

•

During her childhood, she and her family often traveled to Mexico.

•

Each time they returned to the United States, the family would settle in a new location.

•

Moving so often made it difficult for Cisneros to make friends.

•

As a result, Cisneros became shy and often felt like an outsider.

Now, without looking at what you have just read, write one or two statements that explain why Cisneros often writes about the difficulty of being an outsider.


Students might write that the constant travel and relocation Cisneros went through in childhood made her feel ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have students work in pairs to develop a list of additional purposes for reading. Ask them what else they would like to know about Cisneros and Mexican culture, and encourage them to look for the answers to their questions as they read.

like an outsider wherever she lived. So her writing often deals with the difficulty of being an outsider. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading Read to find out how Sandra Cisneros has done things in her life that she never expected to do.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Thesis

A thesis is the main idea in a work of nonfiction. In some works, the thesis is stated directly. In other works, the thesis is suggested through details and examples. Recognizing the thesis of a nonfiction work helps the reader to understand the author’s purpose for writing a work. Make a list of three nonfiction works you have read. Then briefly describe what you think is the thesis of each work. Students should recognize the thesis in each nonfiction work. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element Thesis Ask students to describe what a thesis is in their own words. Help students see that a thesis is the main idea of a work of nonfiction that is stated directly or suggested by details and examples Ask students to state the thesis of a nonfiction work they have read.

Reading Strategy Analyze Text Structure Text structure is the order a writer uses to present ideas. A reflective essay is an example of narrative writing. Some narratives follow a chronological order. However, the structure of persuasive or expository writing may vary. Below are three major events. Place them in chronological order by writing which came first, second, and third. Second ______________ Graduating from college. Third ______________ Becoming a college professor.

Reading Strategy Analyze Text Structure

First ______________ Winning a science fair in middle school.

Vocabulary

Analogies

Analogies are comparisons that show similarities between two things that are otherwise dissimilar. An analogy helps explain something unfamiliar by comparing to something familiar. Analogies use : to mean “is to” and :: to mean “as.” For example:

intuitively (in tooʼ ə tiv lē) adv. knowing, sensing, or understanding instinctively

computer : machine :: dog : animal

taboo (tə booʼ) n. a cultural or social rule that forbids something

This should be read as “computer is to machine as dog is to animal.” This analogy describes an example and class relationship. Now look at this analogy:

Help students understand the value of analyzing a text’s structure. Ask: How would following the chronology of a narrative help you understand a selection? (It helps understand the order that events happened and how one event relates to another.)

Vocabulary

nomadic (nō madʼ ik) adj. moving from place to place; wandering nostalgia (nos talʼ jə) n. a longing for things or people of the past

swarm : bee :: army : soldier What is the relationship between the words in this analogy? Circle your answer. Object/Use Synonym/Antonym Part/Whole

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: Doing something intuitively means doing something that comes naturally, like singing. Example: Laura’s been dancing since she was five. She moves intuitively. Ask: Describe something that you do intuitively. DESCRIPTION

A taboo is a cultural or social rule that forbids something. I broke a terrible taboo by leaving home without being married. What is an example of a taboo in your life? EXAMPLE

Nostalgia is a longing for things or people of the past. Even though she’s much older, Lisa has a nostalgia for playing with her dolls. Why would someone be nostalgic? EXPLANATION

A nomadic person moves from place to place. They lived a nomadic life by backpacking through Europe. What are other words mean someone who moves from place to place. SYNONYM


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Straw into Gold:

Before You Read

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday The Cask of Amontillado Connect to the Story


What kind of injury would make someone want to takeI revenge? If you revengecolony in the south of France, When was living inthink an artists’ Reading Strategy is never an option, explain why. some fellow Latin-Americans who taught at the university in

Analyze Text Structure With the Aix-en-Provence invited me to share a home-cooked meal with Possible answer: someone’s life had been ruined he or she might want revenge. two events listed below,Ifcheck ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ them. I had been living abroad almost a year then on an NEA1 which one happened first. grant, subsisting mainly on French bread and lentils so that lived in the south of ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ■ Cisneros my money could last longer. So when the invitation to dinner France. arrived, I accepted without hesitation. Especially since they had ✓ Cisneros received an NEA grant. ■

promised Mexican food.

Reading Strategy Analyze Text Structure If students have difficulty responding: Model Cisneros probably needed money to finance her trip and to live in France. She had to win the NEA grant, which gave her money for her trip.

Circle the number of the response that is closest to your own. Students may choose either 1 or 2. What I didn’t realize when they made this invitation was Read and Discuss

that I was supposed to be involved in preparing the meal.

1. If someone does terrible things to you, you should be able to Itake revenge. I guess they assumed knew how to cook Mexican food because

Read the highlighted section I am Mexican. They wanted specifically tortillas, though I’d out loud with a partner. never a tortilla in my life. Underline detailsisthat show it cannot really 2. Revenge pointless; make made up for anything. why the dinner hosts assumed It’s true I had witnessed my mother rolling the little armies Cisneros could make tortillas. of dough into perfect circles, but my mother’s family is from Then discuss with your partner Guanajuato; they are provincianos, country folk. They only know how you think Cisneros felt how to make flour tortillas. My father’s family, on the other about being in this situation. 2

Build Background

hand, is chilango from Mexico City. We ate corn tortillas but we them. Someone was sent to the corner tortilleria to buy or some. I’d never seen anybody make corn tortillas. Ever. mansion. The story takes place in an Italian palazzo, how Cisneros felt like an ____________________________ Somehow my Latino hosts had gotten a hold of a packet of The mansion has catacombs, which are underground burial chambers. corn flour, and this is what they tossed my way with orders to outsider or misunderstood. ____________________________ Catacombs could be reached by climbing down narrow staircases. produce tortillas. Así como sea. Any ol’ way, they said and went The catacombs were lined with hollowed-out the remains of the back tonooks theirwhere cooking. dead were put. Why did I feel like the woman in the fairy tale who was Vocabulary A cask of Amontillado is a barrel of Spanish wine. locked in a room and ordered to spin straw into gold? I had intuitively (in tooʼ ə tiv lē) adv. the same sick feeling when I was required to write my critical knowing, sensing, or Now, write a short summary of the facts you just for read. essay the MFA3 exam—the only piece of noncreative writing understanding instinctively in order to get myplace graduate degree. How was I to Possible answer: Costumes were wornnecessary during carnival. The story takes in an Italian mansion that has ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ start? There were rules involved here, unlike writing a poem or Vocabularycalled Skill catacombs beneath story,it. which I didare intuitively. There was a step by step process burial chambers Catacombs very dark and deep. They hold the remains of ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Analogy Cisneros makes an needed and I had better know it. I felt as if making tortillas— dead people. analogy between making tortillas ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ or writing a critical paper, for that matter—were tasks so and writing a critical paper. impossible I wanted to break down into tears. Students should discuss didn’t make ____________________________ At carnival time, people often wear costumes.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk Point out to students that people often assume that a person from a certain culture knows or does something particular to that culture: Model If I met a person from Hawaii, I might assume that he or she knows how to surf. Ask: Why do you think Cisneros’ dinner hosts assumed she knew how to make tortillas? (Because she is Mexican and tortillas are a Mexican food.)

Complete the following analogy with the correct word that best describes Cisneros’s feelings.


Vocabulary Analogies If students have difficulty, point out to students that Cisneros feels uncomfortable making tortillas because she does not know how. Unlike writing poems, these tasks do not come easily to her. Ask: Which of the words provided best describes this relationship? (Intuitive) Also have students note that their vocabulary word intuitively has become and adjective instead of an adverb by removing the –ly ending.

In this short story, one man exacts a horrible revenge on another who he feels has

making : difficult :: writing injuredtortillas him. Ask yourself what could have offended him so deeply that he needed to poetry : ______________ take such revenge. Try to find the reasons in the text as you read. inappropriate

hard

different

intuitive

1. The NEA, or National Endowment for the Arts, is a public agency that supports excellence in the arts through funding. 2. Chilango (chē länʼ gō) is a Mexican slang term that means “native to Mexico City.” 3. MFA stands for Master of Fine Art, which is an academic degree.

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001-014_G9_APP_Amontillado.indd 2 92 089-098_G10_APP_StrawintoGold.in92

Language Note African American Vernacular English: The /th/ sound Speakers of African American vernacular English may use a nonstandard pronunciation of “th” sounds, replacing them with “d” sounds at the beginning of words and “f” sounds in the middle or end of words. The first four paragraphs of the selection have a frequent occurrence of “th” words. In a small group, read the first paragraph of the selection aloud, pronouncing the words in standard English. For the next three paragraphs, have student volunteers read one sentence at a time, clearly enunciating the “th” words.

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Straw into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Somehow though, I managed to make tortillas—crooked and burnt, but edible nonetheless. My hosts were absolutely ignorant when it came to Mexican food; they thought my tortillas were delicious. (I’m glad my mama wasn’t there.) Thinking back and looking at an old photograph documenting the three of us consuming those lopsided circles I am amazed. Just as I am amazed I could finish my MFA exam. I’ve managed to do a lot of things in my life I didn’t think I was capable of and which many others didn’t think I was capable of either. Especially because I am a woman, a Latina, an only daughter in a family of six men. My father would’ve liked to have seen me married long ago. In our culture men and women don’t leave their father’s house except by way of marriage. I crossed my father’s threshold with nothing carrying me but my own two feet. A woman whom no one came for and no one chased away. To make matters worse, I left before any of my six brothers had ventured away from home. I broke a terrible taboo. Somehow, looking back at photos of myself as a child, I wonder if I was aware of having begun already my own quiet war. I like to think that somehow my family, my Mexicanness, my poverty, all had something to do with shaping me into a writer. I like to think my parents were preparing me all along for my life as an artist even though they didn’t know it. From my father I inherited a love of wandering. He was born in Mexico City but as a young man he traveled into the U.S. vagabonding. He eventually was drafted and thus became a citizen. Some of the stories he has told about his first months in the U.S. with little or no English surface in my stories in The House on Mango Street as well as others I have in mind to write in the future. From him I inherited a sappy heart. (He still cries when he watches Mexican soaps—especially if they deal with children who have forsaken their parents.) My mother was born like me—in Chicago but of Mexican descent. It would be her tough streetwise voice that would haunt all my stories and poems. An amazing woman who loves to draw and read books and can sing an opera. A smart cookie.

Literary Element Thesis Remember that a thesis is the main idea of a work. Underline the sentence on this page that clearly states the thesis of this work. What examples does Cisneros give to support her thesis?

Students may write that she is _______________________________



a Latina woman and the only _______________________________ woman in a family of six men. _______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary taboo (tə booʼ) n. a cultural or social rule that forbids something

Literary Element Thesis Explain to students that the thesis or main idea statement of a work is often supported by many details and examples that come before or after it. Read this page aloud until you reach the thesis statement. Ask: What point is Cisneros trying to make? (Cisneros is amazed at some of the things she has accomplished in her life.) What statement on the remaining page clearly states this point? (“I’ve managed to do a lot of things in my life I didn’t think I was capable of and which many others didn’t think I was capable of either.”)

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Fluency Expression and Intonation: Punctuation Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on using correct expression when they come to a question mark. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.


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Vocabulary nomadic (nō madʼ ik) adj. moving from place to place; wandering

Vocabulary nostalgia (nos talʼ jə) n. a longing for things or people of the past

Literary Element Thesis Write on the board this question: Did teachers think Cisneros was a bright student? Then have students work in pairs to find details from the page that show Cisneros’s qualities as a student. Have students underline these details.

Literary Element Thesis Do you think Cisneros’s teachers thought that it was possible for Cisneros to become a writer? Explain your answer.

Possible answer: No. Cisneros _______________________________ was not a bright student. They _______________________________ probably thought that she _______________________________ could never become a writer. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

When I was a little girl we traveled to Mexico City so much I thought my grandparents’ house on La Fortuna, number 12, was home. It was the only constant in our nomadic ramblings from one Chicago flat to another. The house on Destiny Street, number 12, in the colonia Tepeyac would be perhaps the only home I knew, and that nostalgia for a home would be a theme that would obsess me. My brothers also figured greatly in my art. Especially the older two; I grew up in their shadows. Henry, the second oldest and my favorite, appears often in poems I have written and in stories which at times only borrow his nickname, Kiki. He played a major role in my childhood. We were bunk-bed mates. We were co-conspirators. We were pals. Until my oldest brother came back from studying in Mexico and left me odd woman out for always. What would my teachers say if they knew I was a writer now? Who would’ve guessed it? I wasn’t a very bright student. I didn’t much like school because we moved so much and I was always new and funny looking. In my fifth-grade report card I have nothing but an avalanche of C’s and D’s, but I don’t remember being that stupid. I was good at art and I read plenty of library books and Kiki laughed at all my jokes.At home I was fine, but at school I never opened my mouth except when the teacher called on me. When I think of how I see myself it would have to be at age eleven. I know I’m thirty-two on the outside, but inside I’m eleven. I’m the girl in the picture with skinny arms and a crumpled skirt and crooked hair. I didn’t like school because all they saw was the outside me. School was lots of rules and sitting with your hands folded and being very afraid all the time. I liked looking out the window and thinking. I liked staring at the girl across the way writing her name over and over again in red ink. I wondered why the boy with the dirty collar in front of me didn’t have a mama who took better care of him. I think my mama and papa did the best they could to keep us warm and clean and never hungry. We had birthday and graduation parties and things like that, but there was another hunger that had to be fed. There was a hunger I didn’t even have a name for. Was this when I began writing?

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Reading Check Summarize If students are having difficulty, have them underline the memories Cisneros recalls of her childhood. Tell students to look within the underline text for clues as to why Cisneros used these particular memories for her stories and poems.

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Straw into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Everyday In 1966 we moved into a house, a real one, our first real home. This meant we didn’t have to change schools and be the new kids on the block every couple of years. We could make friends and not be afraid we’d have to say goodbye to them and start all over. My brothers and the flock of boys they brought home would become important characters eventually for my stories—Louie and his cousins, Meme Ortiz and his dog with two names, one in English and one in Spanish. My mother flourished in her own home. She took books out of the library and taught herself to garden—to grow flowers so envied we had to put a lock on the gate to keep out the midnight flower thieves. My mother has never quit gardening. This was the period in my life, that slippery age when you are both child and woman and neither, I was to record in The House on Mango Street. I was still shy. I was a girl who couldn’t come out of her shell. How was I to know I would be recording and documenting the women who sat their sadness on an elbow and stared out a window? It would be the city streets of Chicago I would later record, as seen through a child’s eyes.

Reading Strategy Analyze Text Structure Place these sentences in chronological order by writing which came first, second, and third in Cisnero’s narrative.

Third “We could make friends ________ and not be afraid we’d have to say goodbye to them and start all over.” First “We had birthday and ________ graduation parties and things like that, but there was another hunger that had to be fed.” Second “In 1966 we moved into ________ a house, a real one, our first real home.”


Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze Text Structure Explain to students that people can feel hunger for things other than food. Ask: What do you think is the hunger that Cisneros writes about that she needed to have fed? (Hunger for a home and a stable life) Do you think this hunger was partly fed? Explain. (Yes; in 1966 she moved to her first real home.)

Read and Discuss Read Cisneros remembrance of her family’s first house. Discuss with a partner how having a “real home” might change the way the Cisneros family lived.

Students might say the ____________________________


children finally had friends ____________________________ and could bring them over. ____________________________

Ask students to compare the activity in the Cisneros’s “first real house” to the isolation Cisneros describes when the family was nomadic. Ask: Would the children have been able to bring friends over before? (No.) Why not? (They did not make friends because they were always moving.) Why would Cisneros’s mother “flourish in her own home”? (She is happy to have a place to call her own.)

READING CHECK Summarize What memories does Cisneros record from her childhood in her stories and poems? Why does she pick them? Write your answer in the lines below. Possible answer: Cisneros writes about her favorite brother. ______________________________________________________ He played a major role in her childhood. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Word Study

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BLM

Synonyms Cisneros describes herself as shy when she was a child. Write the following words on the board: timid, modest, reserved. Ask: What relationship exists between these three words? (They are synonyms, or words with similar meanings.) Have volunteers suggest other synonyms for the word shy. (Cautious, apprehensive, self-conscious) Then have students practice adding prefixes and suffixes to the other vocabulary words by completing the activity on page A15.


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Interactive Question-Response Literary Element

Literary Element Thesis Read aloud Cisneros’s accomplishments listed on this page. Ask: Which of these accomplishments do you think is the most amazing for Cisneros to have accomplished? Why? Have students write their answers on a piece of paper and share them with the class if they want.

Thesis How do Cisnero’s travels and encounters with reputable people relate to her thesis? Circle the correct answer. a. She wants to go back home. b. She’s experiencing things she never imagined before. c. She decides the nomadic life is right for her. d. She questions her life choices.

I’ve done all kinds of things I didn’t think I could do since then. I’ve gone to a prestigious university, studied with famous writers, and taken an MFA degree. I’ve taught poetry in schools in Illinois and Texas. I’ve gotten an NEA grant and run away with it as far as my courage would take me. I’ve seen the bleached and bitter mountains of the Peloponnesus.4 I’ve lived on an island. I’ve been to Venice twice. I’ve lived in Yugoslavia. I’ve been to the famous Nice5 flower market behind the opera house. I’ve lived in a village in the pre-Alps and witnessed the daily parade of promenaders. I’ve moved since Europe to the strange and wonderful country of Texas, land of Polaroid-blue skies and big bugs. I met a mayor with my last name. I met famous Chicana and Chicano artists and writers and políticos.6 Texas is another chapter in my life. It brought with it the Dobie-Paisano Fellowship, a six-month residency on a 265-acre ranch. But most important, Texas brought Mexico back to me. In the days when I would sit at my favorite people-watching spot, the snakey Woolworth’s counter across the street from the Alamo7 (the Woolworth’s which has since been torn down to make way for progress), I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather be than a writer. I’ve traveled and lectured from Cape Cod to San Francisco, to Spain, Yugoslavia, Greece, Mexico, France, Italy, and now today to Texas. Along the way there has been straw for the taking. With a little imagination, it can be spun into gold.

4. The Peloponnesus (pelʼə pə nēʼsəs) is the peninsula forming the southern part of mainland Greece. 5. Nice (nēs) is a port city in southern France. 6. Políticos (pô lēʼ tē kôs) means “politicians” in Spanish. 7. The Alamo is a mission chapel in San Antonio, Texas. It was the site of a famous battle in Texas’s war for independence from Mexico.

READING CHECK Summarize What does Cisneros enjoy most about Texas? Write your answer in the lines below. Students should recognize that Texas reminds Cisneros of ______________________________________________________ Mexico, a place she considers her childhood home. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize If students are having difficulty, have them reflect on the first home she remembers in the essay. Ask: What is the first home Cisneros reflects on in the essay? (Her grandparents’ house in Mexico City) What does Cisneros says Texas has done for her? (It broughr Mexico back to her.) Have students put this in their own words to answer the question.

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After You Read

Straw into Gold:

After You Read

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Connect to the Essay Look back at your response on page 90. Use the chart below to connect the hardships Cisneros encountered with how the experience benefits her later in life. An example has been provided for you. Hardships

Literary Element Thesis Benefit

Constantly moving as a child

Later writes books about being an outsider

Possible answer: Doesn’t have a real home to call her own.

Possible answer: When her family has their first home, she appreciates it more.

Literary Element

Have students recall an accomplishment they have made by overcoming difficulties. Tell them to write a one-page paper on this accomplishment, difficulties they encountered while trying to meet their goal, and how they felt afterwards. Remind students that this paper should have a thesis, or a main idea. When students have completed writing their papers, have them exchange with a partner. Tell students to read the papers with the purpose of not only learning about their partner’s experience, but to find the paper’s main idea. Then have students discuss what they felt was the main idea of their partner’s paper together.

Thesis

In the chart below, write what you think is the thesis of “Straw into Gold: The Metamorphosis of the Everyday.” Then write three details from the essay that support this thesis in the boxes below.

Thesis Students should write a thesis statement about the essay and give three details that support this thesis.

Supporting Detail

Supporting Detail

Supporting Detail

Reading Strategy Analyze Text Structure When you analyze any piece of writing, you are looking carefully at its parts. Analyzing a text’s structure is looking at the organization of ideas present in the text. In the essay, Cisneros is in the present looking back at her past. Why do you think Cisneros tells her story this way? Explain. Students might write that Cisneros is writing a reflective essay and gives her adult perspective on the events _________________________________________________________________________________________________ of her life. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Grammar Link

2/16/08 7:31:35 AM

BLM

Irregular Verbs II Prepare students to complete the activity on page A16. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.


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After You Read

Straw into Gold:

After You Read

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Think about the meaning of the boldface word as you read each sentence. Circle the correct answer.

Academic Vocabulary

1. Cisneros mentioned that she felt nostalgia about traveling constantly between Mexico and the United States. true

false

Write the following sentence on the board: Cisneros wrote this essay to confirm her identity as an artist.

2. Cisneros experienced constant nomadic ramblings from one Chicago flat to another.

Inform students that confirm is an academic word. Other words that are similar in meaning are verify and validate.

3. For Cisneros’s mother, working in a garden was taboo.

true

true

false

false

4. Unlike making tortillas, Cisneros writes intuitively. true

Divide students into pairs. Have them look up the word confirm in a dictionary. Then have the partners work together to write a definition of the word confirm in their own words.

false

B. Analogies An analogy is a comparison that is based on relationships between objects or ideas. Some common types of relationships are: synonym, antonym, item and characteristic, action to object, or degree of intensity. For each item below, decide what the relationship is between the first pair of words. Then apply that relationship to the second pair and circle your answer. The first one has been completed for you.

After Reading

1. lukewarm : scalding :: cool : freezing

Have students complete the after reading activity on page 308.

a uncertain

c freezing

b hot

d fruit

of intensity Relationship: Degree _____________________________________________________________________________ 2. wandering : ________________ :: studying : studious a nomadic

c aimless

b academic

d sleepy

Relationship: Item/Characteristic _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. disapproval : praise :: legal : ________________ a excitement

c taboo

b scold

d police

Relationship: Antonym _____________________________________________________________________________

For more practice, see page 308.

➡

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Writing Link Journal Entry Have students think about a difficult task that they accomplished. Then have them describe doing this task in a journal entry. Have them include the approximate date and time that the event happened. In addition, have them use transitional words such as first, next, and then to show the order of events.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 99–108, 309 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Reading: Analyzing a visual image. Analyzing informational text.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Personal Essay Read the title and author’s name. Have students speculate about what the author might see in Lincoln’s eyes. Explain that like Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama’s background made him an unlikely candidate for a major role in U.S. government. Obama’s mother was born in Kansas, and his father was born in Kenya. Obama received a law degree from Harvard University in 1991. There, he was the first African American to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review. In 2004, Obama won a seat in the U.S. Senate, making him the third African American elected to the Senate since Reconstruction (1865–1877). As a candidate in the 2008 presidential election, Obama continues his efforts to bring about a positive change in America and American politics.

What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes

Explain that “What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes” is a personal essay in which Obama expresses his personal thoughts and feelings about Lincoln and his importance to Obama’s life.

by Barack Obama


099-108_G10_APP_LincolnEyes.indd99 99

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Personal Essay Reading Strategy • Analyze a Visual Image

Writing Link • Description

BLM Grammar Link • Irregular Verbs III BLM


TIME: What I See in Lincoln's Eyes

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Before You Read

Before You Read


Connect to the Personal Essay Have you ever been moved by a portrait or a photograph of someone? In this essay, Barack Obama describes a portrait of Abraham Lincoln that has special meaning to him. Think about photographs or paintings you have seen of Lincoln. Which one image do you think best captures his essence, or inner self? Freewrite about what that picture shows about Lincoln and what it means to you. Share your ideas with a partner.

Connect to the Personal Essay Display a variety of portraits of Abraham Lincoln and allow time for students to study them. Call attention to the portrait that relates to this essay. If students need help in organizing their thoughts, provide them with the following sentence starters.

Students may write that Lincoln’s picture reveals his thoughtful, sorrowful, and compassionate nature or his ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ gentle, quiet sense of humor. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

To me, the picture that best captures Lincoln’s personality is ________.

Read these facts about Lincoln. Underline three details that offer clues to Lincoln’s personality.

In this picture, Lincoln looks ________. This picture shows me that Lincoln is ________.

Build Background Encourage students to share what they know about Abraham Lincoln. You might have students work in teams to jot down as many facts about Lincoln as they can come up with in two minutes. Then have a spokesperson for each group read the facts aloud.

•

Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president and the first one to wear a beard.

•

Abraham Lincoln was elected to two terms as president. He is considered by many to be America’s greatest president.

•

Lincoln worked hard to make a better life for himself and his country. His law partner said that “His ambition was a little engine that knew no rest.”

•

Lincoln loved to read, especially the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

•

Lincoln may have struggled with depression and a preoccupation with death, but with good reason. His mother died when he was ten years old. Three of his four sons died young. Lincoln dreamed about of his own death just days before he was assassinated.

•

Walt Whitman’s poem “Oh Captain! My Captain!” was written as a tribute to Lincoln in 1866.

Set Purposes for Reading Read the essay to learn about Barack Obama and his views of President Lincoln, both as a political leader and as a source of inspiration.

Set Purposes for Reading Have students use the title of the essay and what they know about Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama to develop a list of more possible purposes for reading.

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Before You Read

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image When you analyze a visual image, you consider the significance of each part of the image to better understand the effect of the image as a whole. In “What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes,” Barack Obama shares his analysis of a photograph of Abraham Lincoln taken shortly before Lincoln’s death. As you read, notice how Obama uses imagery, figurative language, and precise, vivid words to paint a verbal picture of Lincoln. What does his choice of words suggest about his opinion of Lincoln? What kind of emotional response do these images create in you, the reader? A chart like the one below can help you organize your thoughts. Record your response to Obama’s description of Lincoln’s face. Visual Image “Lincoln’s face is as finely lined as a pressed flower.”

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Use the chart below to review the definitions of imagery, figurative language, simile, metaphor, personification, and allusions. Work with students to give examples of each literary term.

Emotional Response Lincoln seems caring. His face reveals his age and the sorrow he has faced. The simile is a flattering one, since a flower is usually a positive image.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses

Figurative Language

Language that uses expressions that are not literally true but express some truth beyond the literal level

Simile

A figure of speech that uses the word like or as to compare two seemingly unlike things

Metaphor

A figure of speech that expresses a comparison between two seemingly unlike things; A metaphor does not use the words like or as.

Personification

A figure of speech in which an animal, object, force of nature, or idea is given human characteristics

Allusion

A reference to a well-known character, place, or situation

Note Taking This selection will guide you to take notes, which will help you to understand and remember what you read. Taking notes while you read will help you perform better on tests and use the knowledge you have gained in other settings as well. You will use the following skills in taking notes during this selection. Skill Reread

Description Record

Look back over the page Write down your answers to you have read. the questions you are given.

Recap

Summarize

Briefly review the text in your own words.

Briefly state the main points you recorded.



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Note Taking Explain to students that taking notes will help them as they read this and other texts. Let students know that they can benefit from note taking even when they do not have these pages to guide them. Encourage them to write down important facts, words, and concepts as they read, no matter what the subject matter might be.


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Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Point out that like a photographer focusing his camera, Obama begins with a statement about Lincoln’s face and then focuses in on the details. Ask: Why do you think Obama chose to present his ideas in this way? (to help readers better understand the effect of the whole; to present a sympathetic image of Lincoln)

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Help students understand that Obama is expressing the connection he feels to Lincoln and the way in which Lincoln has been a role model or source of inspiration for him.

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Underline details that help you visualize the portrait of Lincoln. Why does Obama focus on Lincoln’s mouth last?

Lincoln’s slight smile contrasts _______________________________ with the feeling of sadness _______________________________ revealed by his other features. _______________________________ Obama wants to show that _______________________________ Lincoln was a complex _______________________________ character. _______________________________ _______________________________

My favorite portrait of Abraham Lincoln comes from the end of his life. In it, Lincoln’s face is as finely lined as a pressed flower. He appears frail, almost broken; his eyes, averted from the camera’s lens, seem to contain a heartbreaking melancholy, as if he sees before him what the nation had so recently endured. It would be a sorrowful picture except for the fact that Lincoln’s mouth is turned ever so slightly into a smile. The smile doesn’t negate the sorrow. But it alters tragedy into grace. It’s as if this rough-faced, aging man has cast his gaze toward eternity and yet still cherishes his memories—of an imperfect world and its fleeting, sometimes terrible beauty. On trying days, the portrait, a reproduction of which hangs in my office, soothes me; it always asks me questions. What is it about this man that can move us so profoundly? Some of it has to do with Lincoln’s humble beginnings, which often speak to our own. When I moved to Illinois 20 years ago to work as a community organizer, I had no money in my pockets and didn’t know a single soul. During my first six years in the state legislature, Democrats were in the minority, and I couldn’t get a bill heard, much less passed. In my first race for Congress, I had my head handed to me. So when I, an African American man with a funny name, born in Hawaii of a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, announced my candidacy for the

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image In the highlighted text, Obama uses personification to communicate the effect this portrait of Lincoln has on him. Explain the appeal of this technique.

The personification in _______________________________ these lines makes it seems _______________________________ as if Lincoln himself is _______________________________ communicating with Obama. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

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Note Taking



soothes him and makes him think about 1. This portrait of Lincoln is Barack Obama’s favorite because it ________________________________________ his actions _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .


2. Obama states that in this portrait Lincoln appears “melancholy.” A context clue for the meaning of (first paragraph) melancholy is “sorrowful” ________________________________________________________________________________ .

Note Taking

Both men had humble 3. List at least two ways that Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama are similar. __________________________ beginnings. Both men were elected to public office. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

To help students get started, you might want to model your thinking process for completing one of the items. To help students recap this page: Model The first paragraph focuses on how Lincoln appears in this portrait. Obama says that Lincoln “appears frail.” The word frail means “weak” or “fragile.” Together with the word melancholy I imagine a man who looks worn out and sad. Obama reveals that on difficult, or “trying days,” looking at the portrait calms him down and makes him think about what he is doing. Obama goes on to say that he and Lincoln both had to struggle to overcome their poor, or humble, starts in life.

served in the state legislature for six years 4. One thing I learned on this page that I didn’t know is Obama _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

5. Recap, in your own words, what you learned by reading this page of the essay. Lincoln had a finely lined face that looked weak and melancholy. Obama finds the portrait soothes _____________________________________________________________________________________________ him and makes him ask questions. Obama finds similarities between his life and Lincoln’s struggle to _____________________________________________________________________________________________ overcome his humble beginnings. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Summarize below what you’ve recorded:

The Word that Best Describes Lincoln melancholy

How Lincoln Is Like Obama Both men had humble beginnings. Both men held public office.



Remind students that a summary is a short restatement of the main ideas and important details in a passage.

One Thing I Learned Obama served in the state legislature for six years.

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Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image In this paragraph, underline four words or phrases that make Lincoln appear heroic. Explain the effect Obama’s word choice has on your feelings about Lincoln.

Possible answer: The positive _______________________________ connotations of the underlined _______________________________ words make me view Lincoln _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Tell students that Obama chooses words for their literal meaning and their emotional “punch.” To explore the importance of connotation in these lines, draw a word web on the board. Place a word or phrase students underlined in the middle and have volunteers fill in the web with words, images, and ideas they associate with that word or phrase. Repeat with other words and phrases students underlined in the text.

as a man with a dream, _______________________________ a strong person who was _______________________________ determined to do great things. _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image The highlighted text contains three metaphors. Explain the comparisons Obama makes in these lines.

Obama compares the battles _______________________________ over slavery to a dark storm, _______________________________

ultimate mastery

the conflict between the North _______________________________ and South to a house divided, _______________________________ and Lincoln to a ship’s captain _______________________________

Suggest other words Obama might have chosen and have students compare the power of each word or phrase.

who is trying to steer his ship _______________________________ to safety. _______________________________

United States Senate, it was hard to imagine a less likely scenario than that I would win—except, perhaps, for the one that allowed a child born in the backwoods of Kentucky with less than a year of formal education to end up as Illinois’ greatest citizen and our nation’s greatest President. In Lincoln’s rise from poverty, his ultimate mastery of language and law, his capacity to overcome personal loss and remain determined in the face of repeated defeat––in all this, he reminded me not just of my own struggles. He also reminded me of a larger, fundamental element of American life—the enduring belief that we can constantly remake ourselves to fit our larger dreams. A connected idea attracts us to Lincoln: As we remake ourselves, we remake our surroundings. He didn’t just talk or write or theorize. He split rail, fired rifles, tried cases, and pushed for new bridges and roads and waterways. In his sheer energy, Lincoln captures a hunger in us to build and to innovate. It’s a quality that can get us in trouble; we may be blind at times to the costs of progress. And yet, when I travel to other parts of the world, I remember that it is precisely such energy that sets us apart, a sense that there are no limits to the heights our nation might reach. Still, as I look at his picture, it is the man and not the icon that speaks to me. I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator. As a law professor and civil rights lawyer and as an African American, I am fully aware of his limited views on race. Anyone who actually reads the Emancipation Proclamation knows it was more a military document than a clarion call for justice. Scholars tell us too that Lincoln wasn’t immune from political considerations and that his temperament could be indecisive and morose. But it is precisely those imperfections—and the painful selfawareness of those failings etched in every crease of his face and reflected in those haunted eyes—that make him so compelling. For when the time came to confront the greatest moral challenge this nation has ever faced, this all too human man did not pass the challenge on to future generations. He neither demonized the fathers and sons who did battle on the other side nor sought to diminish the terrible costs of his war. In the midst of slavery’s dark storm and the complexities of governing a house divided, he somehow kept his moral compass pointed firm and true.

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Tell students that in addition to the metaphors in this sentence, Obama also includes an allusion. The phrase “a house divided” is an allusion to both the Bible (Matthew 12:25) and one of Lincoln’s most famous speeches. The speech, given in 1858, warns of the possibilities of war over the issue of slavery.

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Note Taking


Reread the text on the left. Then record your answers to the items below. image or representation” or “someone icon. It means “an 1. One word I didn’t know on this page is ______ __________________________________________ widely admired” _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .


the Emancipation Proclamation was 2. One thing I learned on this page that I didn’t already know is that ______________________________________ meant more for military purposes than to end slavery _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

Note Taking

3. Lincoln was a complex man. Some of the positive and negative aspects of Lincoln’s personality discussed on this page are: Positive Traits • • • • • • • • •

rose up from poverty self-educated mastered understanding of law overcame personal loss determined hard-working, a man of action energetic aware of his failings took on challenges

If students need help in recapping what they’ve learned: Model Recapping is similar to summarizing, or stating the main points of a passage. After looking over my notes, it seems that to recap the information on this page of text, I should summarize the qualities that make Lincoln worthy of Obama’s admiration and tell how these qualities symbolize the American character. To recap the first paragraph I might write that Lincoln was a self-educated man who overcame poverty and personal challenges and who tried his best to lead a good and honorable life.

Negative Traits • limited view on race • could be indecisive and morose • actions could be swayed by political concerns

was a hard4. Recap in your own words what you learned by reading this page of the essay. Lincoln _______________________ working, self-educated man who overcame poverty and personal challenges to remake himself and _____________________________________________________________________________________________ become a success. He tried his best to lead a good and honorable life and change the country for the _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Continue in this manner to recap the second paragraph.

better. He was a complex and compassionate man with a good sense of humor. Lincoln is a symbol of _____________________________________________________________________________________________ the American character. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Summarize below what you’ve recorded on this page. A new word I learned is icon _______________________________________________________________________ . Emancipation Proclamation was meant more for military purposes than to end I also learned that the ____________________________________________________________________________ slavery _____________________________________________________________________________________________ . intelligent, man of action who took on the challenge of saving the nation . Lincoln was a hard-working, ________________________________________________________________________________ indecisive, morose, and worried about his political image At the same time, Lincoln could be biased, _____________________________________________________________ .



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TIME: What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes Reading Strategy

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Help students brainstorm figures from the Bible who might fit the description in these lines, such as Moses. Invite volunteers to share what they know about these figures.

Analyze a Visual Image Obama compares Lincoln to “a figure from the Old Testament.” What does this allusion suggest about Lincoln? Underline any statements that apply. a. He was a good man who cared for people. b. He communicated with his god. c. He did the best he could to protect the nation and keep it on a righteous path. d. He was lost in the wilderness for much of his life.

What I marvel at, what gives me such hope, is that this man could overcome depression, self-doubt, and the constraints of biography and not only act decisively but retain his humanity. Like a figure from the Old Testament, he wandered the earth, making mistakes, loving his family but causing them pain, despairing over the course of events, trying to divine God’s will. He did not know how things would turn out, but he did his best. A few weeks ago, I spoke at the commencement at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. I stood in view of the spot where Lincoln and Stephen Douglas held one of their famous debates during their race in 1858 for the U.S. Senate. The only way for Lincoln to get onto the podium was to squeeze his lanky frame through a window, whereupon he reportedly remarked, “At last I have finally gone through college.” Waiting for the soon-to-be graduates to assemble, I thought that even as Lincoln lost that Senate race, his arguments that day would result, centuries later, in my occupying the same seat that he coveted. He may not have dreamed of that exact outcome. But I like to believe he would have appreciated the irony. Humor, ambiguity, complexity, compassion—all were part of his character. And as Lincoln called once upon the better angels of our nature, I believe that he is calling still, across the ages, to summon some measure of that character, the American character, in each of us today.

Read and Discuss

Read and Discuss Partner Talk Before answering the question, guide students to an understanding of how Obama uses this image to reinforce his argument. Point out that Obama, in saying that he cannot “swallow whole”—or blindly accept—an idea, implies that ideas should be “chewed”—or considered and weighed carefully. He wants the reader to know that he has carefully considered his opinion of Lincoln.

Refer back to page 104 and with a partner, read and discuss Obama’s opinion on Lincoln being viewed as “the Great Emancipator.” Do you agree or disagree with Obama? Give reasons for your answer.

Summarize

Students who have studied ____________________________

a. Lincoln could be “indecisive and morose,” contrary to most people’s perceptions of him.

Lincoln and the Civil War will ____________________________

b. Barack Obama admires Lincoln without question and gives Lincoln direct credit for all of Obama’s political success.

most likely agree that Lincoln ____________________________

READING CHECK Choose the sentence that best states the main idea of “What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes.” Then explain your choice.

emancipation as he is often ____________________________

c. Lincoln remains an important and meaningful source of inspiration to many people in the United States, including Obama, largely due to the story of his success and his actions as president.

thought to have been. ____________________________

Students’ answers should be supported by examples from ______________________________________________________

was not necessarily as set on ____________________________

the text. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize Read each choice aloud with students, making sure that students understand the words in each choice. Students should recognize that the first choice is too narrow a focus and that the second choice is untrue. If students find it difficult to understand why the second item is incorrect, point out that while Obama is inspired by Lincoln and says that because of Lincoln’s stance on slavery he is able to serve his nation today, he never directly credits Lincoln with his political success.

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Note Taking



lost his sympathy 1. When Obama says that Lincoln “retained his humanity,” he means that Lincoln never _______________________ for the suffering of others or his desire to help them _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .


2. Record the traits that Obama believes define American character and tell in your own words what each word means. humor—ability to appreciate a joke _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Note Taking

ambiguity—uncertainty _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Suggest that students use a dictionary or thesaurus to explore the meanings of humanity in item one, and ambiguity and compassion in item two. Discuss the connotations for these words.

complexity—complicated, not easily explained _____________________________________________________________________________________________ compassion—sympathy, the desire to save others from suffering _____________________________________________________________________________________________

is inspired by Lincoln’s 3. Recap in your own words the significance of the last two paragraphs. Obama _______________________________ ability to overcome hardship, his compassion for others, and his efforts to take action for the good of the _____________________________________________________________________________________________ country. He is grateful to Lincoln because the former president’s actions allowed Obama to succeed later. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ He believes that the humor, ambiguity, complexity, and compassion in Lincoln’s character represented _____________________________________________________________________________________________ the spirit of the American people. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Use the sentence frames below to summarize what you recorded: a good sense of humor and was always compassionate towards Lincoln was a complex man who had _______________________________________________________________ others _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

what Lincoln did for the United States Obama admires ______________________________________________________________________________ .

Lincoln symbolizes the spirit of the American people Obama believes that ______________________________________________________________________________ .



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After You Read

After You Read


Connect to the Personal Essay Review the freewriting that you completed before reading “What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes.” In what ways have your views of Lincoln changed as a result of reading this essay?

Connect to the Personal Essay

he was a great man with a homely but kind face Before reading the essay, my impression of Lincoln was that __________________________________________________

If students are having trouble getting started, have them talk through their impressions with a partner before completing the sentence frames.

________________________________________________________________________________________________ . I have a deeper appreciation for the complexities of Lincoln’s After reading “What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes,” ____________________________________________________________ personality. He was a determined and compassionate man who struggled to do what he thought was right _________________________________________________________________________________________________ for the people of the country ________________________________________________________________________________________________ .

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image

Reading Strategy Analyze a Visual Image Barack Obama uses imagery, figurative language, along with vivid verbs and adjectives to create an image of Abraham Lincoln. Choose three examples of his word choices that you find particularly effective and explain their appeal.

Direct students who are having difficulty choosing examples to concentrate on the first two paragraphs of the essay and to look for particularly descriptive words and phrases.

1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________

After Reading

2. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Students may mention “frail, almost broken,” “this rough-faced, aging man,” “finely lined as a pressed flower,” or other details. They should note that the precision of these images evokes the complicated emotions Obama feels for his subject.


➡

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Irregular Verbs III Prepare students to complete the activity on page A17. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 109–116, 310 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing author’s purpose. Reading: Analyzing text structure.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Speech Tell students that this selection is a transcript of Toni Morrison’s graduation speech to Barnard College graduates. Clarify that a commencement address is given at an academic ceremony at which students receive their diplomas. Ask: What might you expect from a graduation speech? (Students may point out that speakers typically extend congratulations, praise the graduating class for their accomplishments, reflect on the past, and offer motivational advice about how to succeed in life.) Ask: How might a commencement speech delivered to the graduating class of a women’s college be different from one presented to the class of a coeducational school? (Students should note that the remarks would likely be directed to women about their particular concerns, interactions, and place in the world.)

Cinderella’s

Stepsisters by Toni Morrison

Ask: Based on the title, what do you think this speech will be about? (Students may predict that the focus of the speech will be the way in which Cinderella’s stepsisters take advantage of her.) Cinderella’s Stepsisters

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Speech Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Context Clues • Academic Vocabulary

Language Note • African American Vernacular English Literary Element • Author’s Purpose Reading Strategy • Identify Problem and Solution

Writing Link • Journal Entry BLM Grammar Link • Sentence Fragments BLM • Run-on Sentences BLM


Cinderella's Stepsisters

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Before You Read

Before You Read


Connect to the Speech In this college graduation address, Toni Morrison uses a classic fairy tale as a call to action for today’s women. Recall your own memories of the story of Cinderella. Write for a few minutes about the connections you see between the fairy tale and women’s lives today.

Connect to the Speech Ask students to quickwrite for five minutes about what they remember about Cinderella. Have the class share their results as you record on the board the central ideas and themes they recall. Lead a class discussion about the difference between the fairy tale and real life. Are there any aspects of the story that students see as more realistic than others?


Toni Morrison was the first African American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

•

Even though she focuses on the lives of African American women, her works are popular with a variety of readers.

•

Morrison uses the fairy tale of Cinderella to address the injustices women do to each other.

Without looking at what you just read, summarize Toni Morrison’s appeal to her readers.

Build Background

Possible response: Although Morrison writes about African American women, she appeals to all women who ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ encounter injustice. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read the Build Background note with students. Help them to understand that even though Morrison focuses on the lives of African American women, her works are universal, appealing to experiences and emotions that everyone has experienced or witnessed.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________



As you read the speech, predict how Morrison’s message might appeal to women of every race and generation, not just the college graduates she addresses.

Have students work in pairs to develop a list of more purposes for reading. For example, students might read for information about Morrison’s attitude toward women or for enjoyment of one writer’s interpretation of a fairy tale.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Author’s Purpose

For a writer, purpose and audience are closely linked. What a writer tells her readers and how the story is told depends on who those readers are and on what impression she wants to leave with them. As you read, use the chart below to connect purpose and audience with the ideas Toni Morrison wants to convey. Detail from “Cinderella’s Stepsisters”

Purpose of Detail

Intended Audience

Literary Element Author’s Purpose Review author’s purpose with students, explaining that authors may inform or explain, express thoughts or feelings, persuade, entertain, or use a combination of these purposes. Have students provide examples of purposes, such as a news report that informs or an editorial that persuades. Then discuss how the choice of purpose may depend on what the author wants the audience to know, do, or feel after reading the selection.

Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution Identifying the problem in a selection helps you to see the complexity of an issue that a writer presents. Identifying the solution helps you to think logically and systematically. Work with a partner to read the selection and discuss these questions: •

What is the problem?

•

Whose problem is it?

•

What causes the problem?

•

What are the effects of the problem?

•

What solutions does the author suggest?

•

Do you think any new problems could result from the solutions? Why or why not?

Vocabulary

Context Clues

Context clues are the other words, punctuation marks, sentences, and even paragraphs that surround an unfamiliar word and give hints about its meaning. Read the vocabulary words and definitions on this page. For each of the sentences below, choose the best word for each context and write it in the blank. dominion 1. England’s ________________ of colonial America was at first larger than Spain’s. 2. Packed with every kind of gadget imaginable, the office fetish proved its owner’s technology ________________. emanate 3. Both heat and light will ________________ from a well-built

Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution

Vocabulary fetish (fetʼ ish) n. object of abnormal attention or devotion dominion (də minʼ yən) n. control or the exercise of control

Have students identify a school or community problem, such as low voter turnout or the need for bicycle parking at the library. Then have them answer the problem/solution questions as a class.

deflect (di flektʼ) v. to turn aside; bend or deviate; to fend off emanate (emʼə nat) v. to flow out; to come from a source, sometimes invisibly abstraction (ab strakʼ shən) n. an abstract idea or term; a concept with no concrete example

fire in the fireplace. 4. Because it means different things to different people, the concept of love is abstraction considered an ________________. deflect 5. Interruptions from the audience can ________________ a speaker’s concentration. Cinderella’s Stepsisters

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: A fetish is an object or activity to which a person is excessively devoted. Example: Sandy makes a fetish out of anything having to do with the musical group, the Drama Queens. Ask: What is a synonym for fetish? SYNONYM

When someone like a parent has dominion over you, that person controls your actions. The teacher exercised absolute dominion in her classroom. Who else besides a parent might have dominion over you at times? EXAMPLE

Emanate means to come out or send forth, as from a particular source. The campfire emanated so much heat that we had to move our sleeping bags. Describe something that emanates from a television set. DESCRIPTION

To deflect something means to change its direction or prevent it from happening. Carlos tries to deflect compliments by changing the subject. How does a police officer’s vest deflect bullets? EXPLANATION

An abstraction is a way of thinking about an idea independent of any particular person, event, or state of being, such as the general idea of charity or goodness. An idea is an abstraction, while an action is not. Give an example of an abstraction. EXAMPLE


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Cinderella’s



Stepsisters Literary Element Author’s Purpose Why do you think Morrison begins her speech this way? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: Morrison _______________________________

Literary Element Author’s Purpose If students have difficulty connecting an author’s purpose and audience, read aloud the first paragraph and model the kind of reasoning they might use. Model Morrison wants her audience to recall their childhood experience with “Cinderella.” For most people the fairy tale probably has positive associations, but Morrison tells us that it makes her feel unsettled. I think Morrison wants to attract her audience’s attention and have them think about fairy tales in a different way. Suggest that students use a similar process linking purpose and audience as they read the selection and fill in the chart.

Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution If students have difficulty identifying Morrison’s feelings about the fairy tale, Ask: What do the words urgency and unsettled mean? (Urgency means “the quality of pressing importance” or “the condition of calling for immediate attention.” Unsettled means “uneasy” or “disturbed.”) Ask: Why might a fairy tale cause this kind of negative reaction? (Because Morrison focuses on the stepsisters’ abuse of Cinderella.) Ask: Why does Morrison say that a household and a world are the same thing? (For Morrison, the household in which Cinderella and her stepsisters live represents conditions in the working world.)

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wants her audience to _______________________________ think back to the tales _______________________________ they encountered in their _______________________________ childhoods, long before college. _______________________________

Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution Underline the words and phrases in the highlighted passage that show how Morrison feels about the story of Cinderella. What bothers her about the story? Put a check in the box next to the best answer below. ■ It is a fairy story that never really happened. ■ It is about having unreal hopes for the future. ✓ It is about women abusing ■ another woman.

Let me begin by taking you back a little. Back before the days at college. To nursery school, probably, to a once-upon-atime time when you first heard, or read, or, I suspect, even saw “Cinderella.” Because it is Cinderella that I want to talk about; because it is Cinderella who causes me a feeling of urgency. What is unsettling about that fairy tale is that it is essentially the story of household—a world, if you please—of women gathered together and held together in order to abuse another woman. There is, of course, a rather vague absent father and a nick-oftime prince with a foot fetish. But neither has much personality. And there are the surrogate “mothers,” of course (god- and step-), who contribute both to Cinderella’s grief and to her release and happiness. But it is her stepsisters who interest me. How crippling it must have been for those young girls to grow up with a mother, to watch and imitate that mother, enslaving another girl. I am curious about their fortunes after the story ends. For contrary to recent adaptations,1 the stepsisters were not ugly, clumsy, stupid girls with outsize feet. The Grimm collection describes them as “beautiful and fair in appearance.” When we are introduced to them they are beautiful, elegant, women of status, and clearly women of power. Having watched and participated in the violent dominion of another woman, will they be any less cruel when it comes their turn to enslave other children, or even when they are required to take care of their own mother? It is not a wholly medieval problem. It is quite a contemporary2 one: feminine power when directed at other

Vocabulary fetish (fetʼ ish) n. object of abnormal attention or devotion; fixation

Vocabulary dominion (də minʼ yən) n. control or the exercise of control

1. Adaptations are changes or adjustments made to something to meet new conditions. 2. Contemporary means “current” or “modern.”

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Cinderella's Stepsisters women has historically been wielded in what has been described as a “masculine” manner. Soon you will be in a position to do the very same thing. Whatever your background—rich or poor—whatever the history of education in your family—five generations or one—you have taken advantage of what has been available to you at Barnard and you will therefore have both the economic and social status of the stepsisters and you will have their power. I want not to ask you but to tell you not to participate in the oppression of your sisters. . . . Women who stop the promotion of other women in careers are women, and another woman must come to the victim’s aid. Social and welfare workers who humiliate their clients may be women, and other women colleagues have to deflect their anger. I am alarmed by the violence that women do to each other: professional violence, competitive violence, emotional violence. I am alarmed by the willingness of women to enslave other women. I am alarmed by a growing absence of decency on the killing floor of professional women’s worlds. You are the women who will take your place in the world where you can decide who shall flourish and who shall wither; you will make distinctions between the deserving poor and the undeserving poor; where you can yourself determine which life is expendable3 and which is indispensable. Since you will have the power to do it, you may also be persuaded that you have the right to do it. As educated women the distinction between the two is first-order business. I am suggesting that we pay as much attention to our nurturing sensibilities as to our ambition. You are moving in the direction of freedom and the function of freedom is to free somebody else. You are moving toward self-fulfillment, and the consequences of that fulfillment should be to discover that there is something just as important as you are and that just-asimportant thing may be Cinderella—or your stepsister. In your rainbow journey toward the realization of personal goals, don’t make choices based only on your security and your safety. Nothing is safe. That is not to say that anything ever was, or that anything worth achieving ever should be. Things of value seldom are. It is not safe to have a child. It is not safe to challenge the status quo.4 It is not safe to choose work that has

Read and Discuss Read the highlighted sentence out loud with a partner as you think Morrison intended it to sound. Then discuss with your partner why Morrison put the words ask and tell in italic type. Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: Morrison ____________________________ is making a demand, not a ____________________________ request. ____________________________

Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution Put a check in the box next to the statement that is not a part of Morrison’s discussion of the problem here. ■ The problem is both old and new. ✓ Men often prevent women ■ from being promoted. ■ Women have the power and the duty to treat each other well.

Vocabulary deflect (di flektʼ) v. to turn aside; to fend off

Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk Point out to students that writers often use different type, or print, conventions, such as italics, underlining, or bold face, for emphasis. These print cues serve the same purpose as such voice cues as a raised voice or exaggerated enunciation.

Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution If students have difficulty identifying the one statement not supported in Morrison’s speech, have them reread the selection and find details that support each one. (“The problem is both old and new” can be supported with this statement: “It is not wholly a medieval problem. It is quite a contemporary one . . . .” “Women have the power and the duty to treat each other well” can be supported with this statement: “You are the women who will take your place in the world where you can decide who shall flourish . . . .” The only unsupported statement is about men.)

3. Expendable means “easily replaced.” 4. Status quo means “the existing condition or state of affairs.”



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Language Note African American Vernacular English Speakers of African American vernacular English may pronounce the r sound after a vowel as a continuation of the vowel. Keep this tendency in mind when students read aloud such words as discover, important, Cinderella, and stepsister. Model the standard English pronunciation for students. Then have them read aloud passages containing such words, making sure that they pronounce the r sound in each word.


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Cinderella's Stepsisters Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution What is Morrison’s solution to the problem?


Possible solution: Morrison _______________________________ wants her audience to show _______________________________ concern for other women. _______________________________

not been done before. Or to do old work in a new way. There will always be someone there to stop you. But in pursuing your highest ambitions, don’t let your personal safety diminish the safety of your stepsister. In wielding the power that is deservedly yours, don’t permit it to enslave your stepsisters. Let your might and your power emanate from that place in you that is nurturing and caring. Women’s rights is not only an abstraction, a cause; it is also a personal affair. It is not only about “us”; it is also about me and you. Just the two of us.

_______________________________

Reading Strategy Identify Problem and Solution If students are having difficulty, guide them to paraphrase this section of the text. Model Morrison talks about women’s nurturing sensibilities, which are their ability to help others grow and develop, and why they are as important to women as their ambitions. She tells her audience that in their journey to satisfaction, Cinderella’s stepsisters are just as important as they are. The solution to the problem of women abusing other women is for women to wield their power responsibly and with the goal of helping other women to succeed.

_______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary emanate (emʼ ə nāt) v. to flow from a source, often invisibly

Context Clues Look at how the word emanate is used in context. Underline the context clues that help you to determine its meaning.

abstraction (ab strakʼ shən) n. an abstract idea or term; a concept with no concrete example

Vocabulary Context Clues If students are having difficulty finding the context clues in the sentence, suggest that they work in pairs to sketch what they envision the sentence to mean. For example, students might draw a woman with a large heart, labeled “nurturing” and “caring.” They can then show an arrow, labeled “empowerment” leading out of it. Students can conclude that might and power make the empowering of others possible.

READING CHECK

Vocabulary

Question What does the author mean when she calls women’s rights “a personal affair”? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible response: Morrison means that women’s rights are ______________________________________________________ not just a cause or a theory about an unknown “us.” Instead, ______________________________________________________ they are the responsibility of each individual, or “just the two ______________________________________________________ of us.” ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question Make sure that students understand the subtle distinction Morrison is making with us, me and you, and just the two of us. Model People often use the word us to represent an indistinguishable group. By using the words me and you, she personalizes her message, as if she alone were talking to each individual member of her audience. Just the two of us extends that message, involving each graduate (and each reader) in her cause to treat other women with caring and respect.

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After You Read

After You Read


Connect to the Speech Look back at the quickwrite you did on page 110 about how the fairy tale might apply to women today. On the lines below, contrast your ideas about Cinderella with Toni Morrison’s ideas.


Possible response: I focused on Cinderella’s rise from rags to riches. Morrison focuses on the cruelty and _________________________________________________________________________________________________ violence of the stepsisters to Cinderella. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students have difficulty answering the questions about the problem and its solution or with completing the statements for a summary, suggest that they look at the speech from a different perspective. Write on the board the four steps listed below. Explain that writers often consider these steps when presenting a problem and its solution. Review each step, asking students to relate it to Morrison’s speech.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element Author’s Purpose Look back at the chart you filled out for the details, intended audience, and purpose on page 111. Why was Cinderella a good choice of a fairy tale for Morrison’s audience of college graduates? Write your response on the lines below. Possible response: By discussing the stepsisters and their treatment of Cinderella, Morrison persuades her _________________________________________________________________________________________________ educated, powerful audience to aid and protect other women. She is able to focus on her audience’s past, _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Attention Step

present, and future. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ask: What does Morrison do to capture her readers’ attention? (She reminds them of a fairy tale from their childhood.)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________


Needs Step

Look back at the reading strategy questions you and your partner answered on page 111. Then use the sentence frames below to summarize the problem and the solution in “Cinderella’s Stepsisters.” can abuse and take advantage of one another. The problem Morrison sees between women is that women _____________________________________________________

Ask: What is the problem that Morrison says must be addressed? (the abuse of women by other women)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Satisfaction Step

and support other women when they are in positions of As a solution, the author urges women to nurture ______________________________________________________________

Ask: What solution will remedy the problem? (treating other women with caring and respect)

power and responsibility. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Action Step Ask: How does Morrison say life will change if this solution is adopted? (As women move towards freedom, they will be able to free others around them.) 115



Grammar Link

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Ask: What is Morrison’s plan for implementing the solution? (She wants audience members to step outside their comfort zone, forsaking a false dream of safety and security to free their stepsisters.)

BLM

Sentence Fragments Prepare students to complete the activity on page A18. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

Grammar Link

BLM

Run-On Sentences Prepare students to complete the activity on page A19. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.


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After You Read

After You Read


Vocabulary fetish

Academic Vocabulary

dominion

deflect

emanate

abstraction

A. Word Meaning Each of the following statements below describes how you might use one of the vocabulary words. Write the correct word on the line below each statement.

Write the following sentence on the board: Toni Morrison writes about an unfortunate trend in the workplace.

1. Each teacher in a school holds this over his or her classroom. dominion ________________ abstraction 2. Ideas like faith and hope may be categorized as this. ________________

Explain that a trend is a current style, such a cropped pants or low-riders as a fashion trend. A trend can also mean the general direction in which something tends to move, such as a trend towards high salaries for professional ball players.

3. Someone who surrounds himself with clocks, watches, and schedules fetish might be said to have this with time. ________________ 4. You might use sunglasses or a hat to do this to the sun’s rays. deflect ________________ emanate 5. A sweet scent is said to do this from a rose. ________________

Have students work in pairs to look up the definition of the word in a dictionary and then write a sentence using the word correctly. Have the partners list as many examples of trends as they can.

B. Context Clues Underline the context clues in the following sentences that help you determine the meaning of each boldfaced vocabulary word. Then on the lines below explain what the sentence means in your own words. 1. The corner of the mitt deflected the ball from the catcher’s hands and sent it into the stands.

After Reading

response: The mitt interfered with the ball, causing it to turn aside and end up Explanation: Possible ______________________________________________________________________________ in the stands instead of in the catcher’s hands. __________________________________________________________________________________________


2. Whenever Grandma bakes a pie, the odors of apple and cinnamon emanate from the oven. response: Good smells come out of an oven when something is baking. Explanation: Possible ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. The king’s dominion extends over this entire realm. land he rules is under the control of the king. Explanation: The ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Some people make a fetish out of cleaning, scrubbing floors on their hands and knees and polishing tile with a toothbrush. who scrub floors on their hands and knees and polish tile with a toothbrush may Explanation: People ______________________________________________________________________________

➡

have an abnormal devotion to cleaning. __________________________________________________________________________________________ For more practice, see page 310.

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Writing Link Journal Entry Have students imagine that they were audience members who listened to Toni Morrison deliver the graduation address, “Cinderella’s Stepsisters.” Direct them to write a journal entry, expressing their reactions to her subject matter and ideas. Tell them to include an evaluation of the speech and its appropriateness for the occasion. An effective journal entry should • adopt the person of a member of Morrison’s audience • react thoughtfully to the issues raised in the speech • include an evaluation of the speech

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 117–124, 311 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing free verse. Reading: Monitoring comprehension.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Poem Explain to students that they will read the poem “Ode to My Socks” by Pablo Neruda. Tell students that Neruda was born in Chile. His father was a railroad worker and his mother was a teacher. He was passionate about many things, including social justice for the common people in Chile. Neruda’s political views affected his poetry. He wrote his poems for everyone, not just the very smart or the highly educated. In “Ode to My Socks,” Neruda’s subject is something anyone can understand: a pair of socks that a friend gave him. Ask: Can you think of another poet whose work was influenced by his or her political views? (Students may know about Gwendolyn Brooks, who wrote about racism and poverty.)

Ode to My Socks

by Pablo Neruda

Ode to My Socks

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Poem

Literary Element • Free Verse

Fluency • Pacing: Phrasing

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Synonyms • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Monitor Comprehension

BLM Grammar Link • Personal Pronouns BLM

Writing Link • Poem


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Before You Read

Before You Read

Ode to My Socks Connect to the Poem In this poem, Pablo Neruda describes something that is very important to him. While many people think only expensive or rare things have value, Neruda praises something that is ordinary. Think about things that you value or things that are important to you. How would you respond to the following statements about what you value the most? Discuss your answers with a partner.

Connect to the Poem Tell students that the object they value the most may not be worth much money. Remind them that what one person values most may be very different from another person’s most prized possession. Have students respond to the anticipation guide. Then encourage them to discuss what they have written with a partner.

Possible answer: Yes, if 1. Can something that doesn’t cost a lot of money be valuable? Why or why not? _______________________ the item is beautiful or useful. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Possible answer: they make life easier or more enjoyable 2. People value items because ________________________________________________________________ . Possible answer: my bike, because I use it to get around every 3. My most valuable possession is _____________________________________________________________ day and because it’s fun to ride _________________________________________________________________________________________ .

Build Background Read the Build Background note with students. Help them understand how Neruda’s passion for everyday life and its simple objects fit his writing style.

Build Background As you read the facts about Pablo Neruda, underline the words that you think are the most important.

Set Purposes for Reading Have pairs list additional purposes for reading. (Possible answers: to learn about odes; to be entertained) Ask them what more they hope to learn about Neruda from reading his poem.

•

Pablo Neruda excelled at writing the ode. An ode is a long poem that usually expresses the writer’s feelings.

•

Most odes are written for very educated audiences and honor and praise important events or people. Neruda’s odes were more personal and praised ordinary objects.

•

Neruda also preferred writing for the common person instead of an important audience. Neruda wanted his poetry to be easily understood by everyone.

•

Neruda often wrote about nature.

Set Purposes for Reading Read “Ode to My Socks” to learn why Pablo Neruda treasures a pair of socks. As you read, pay attention to the ways in which Neruda makes an ordinary object seem special.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Free Verse

Free verse is poetry that does not follow a regular pattern of rhyme or line length. Poets who write free verse use other techniques, such as the repetition of certain sounds or words, to create rhythm. Have you ever written a poem in free verse? Can you recall reading other poems written in free verse? Talk with a partner about ways in which free verse might help a writer to express his or her feelings. Students may say that free verse allows the poet to focus on subject matter or feelings rather than on structure ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element Free Verse

and organization. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have a volunteer explain what free verse is. If students have difficulty responding, copy the first few lines of the poem onto the board to illustrate that free verse has fewer rules about form, such as a set line length, meter, and rhyme. You may also want to copy a few lines of a traditional poem to show the difference. Ask them to explain how the freedom from using a set rhythm, rhyme, or line length might affect how a writer expresses ideas and feelings.

Reading Strategy Monitor Comprehension One way to keep track of how well you understand what you read is to paraphrase. When you paraphrase, you say what you have read in your own words. Asking yourself questions about the reading will also help you to figure out its meaning. As you read, use the chart below to help you understand the text.

Stanza

Paraphrase

Maru Mori brought me / a pair / of socks / which she knitted herself / with her sheepherder’s hands, / two socks as soft / as rabbits. A loved one or friend knitted a pair of socks and gave them to the speaker.

Why does the speaker describe Maru Mori’s hands as “sheepherder’s hands”? Question

Answer

Vocabulary

Reading Strategy Monitor Comprehension

Sheepherders protect and care for flocks of sheep. The poet is comparing the sheepherder with his friend’s loving ways.

Ask students to explain why paraphrasing and asking questions helps them understand what they read. (Students should note that putting text in their own words will help them understand the text. Asking questions will also help them to know if they are grasping the information.)

Synonyms

Different words that mean the same thing or something very similar are called synonyms. For example, immense and enormous have almost the same meaning. One way to figure out whether two words are synonyms is to substitute one for another in a sentence. Read the vocabulary words and definitions in the side column. As you come across these words in the selection, think about other words that could replace the vocabulary words and not change the meaning of the sentence. For example, in the sentence “The decrepit farmhouse looked at least 100 years old,” the word run-down could replace the word decrepit without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Vocabulary immense (i mensʼ) adj. vast; huge; so big that it is difficult or impossible to measure decrepit (di krepʼ it) adj. broken down or worn out by age or illness sacred (sāʼ krid) adj. holy; worthy of being worshipped remorse (ri môrsʼ) n. feelings of guilt or regret because of past wrongdoing

Which word from the list could be a synonym for the underlined word in the following sentence? Write your answer on the line below. “The ancient site was considered holy by the native people in the region.” sacred ______________________________________

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: When something is immense, it is huge. Example: The concert would take place before thousands of people in an immense arena. Ask: What is another example of something that is immense? EXAMPLE

When something is decrepit, it is worn out or in very bad condition. The decrepit sweater had a hole in one sleeve and was missing four buttons. Describe something you have seen that was decrepit. DESCRIPTION

Remorse is guilt or sadness for a past action. I felt remorse for disobeying my grandmother. How are the words remorse and sadness the same? How are they different? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

People place high importance on things they consider sacred. Everyone in the temple was quiet and respectful during the sacred ceremony. How is something sacred similar to something that is holy? SYNONYM

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Ode to My Socks Literary Element Free Verse How can you tell that the poet is writing in free verse here?

5

The lines do not have a fixed _______________________________

Literary Element Free Verse If students are having difficulty: Model In this poem, I notice line breaks in the middle of a complete thought. There aren’t a set number of syllables in each line, and I don’t see any rhyming words. That must mean the poem is an example of free verse.

Vocabulary Skill Synonyms Remind students that synonyms are different words that mean the same thing. Point out that having a choice of words makes our language livelier and more interesting. Write the following sentence on the board: He was overcome by remorse. He was overcome by regret. Explain that remorse and regret have similar meanings. Encourage students to use synonyms to vary their own writing.

rhythm, rhyme, or number of _______________________________ syllables. _______________________________

10

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

15

Vocabulary immense (i mensʼ) adj. vast; huge; so big that it is difficult or impossible to measure

Vocabulary Skill Synonyms Underline the three synonyms for immense that appear in the definition above. Then, with a partner, write two more synonyms for immense on the lines below. Use a dictionary if you need to.

20

25

Maru Mori brought me a pair of socks which she knitted herself with her sheepherder’s hands, two socks as soft as rabbits. I slipped my feet into them as though into two cases knitted with threads of twilight and sheepskin. Violent socks, my feet were two fish made of wool, two long sharks sea-blue, shot through by one golden thread, two immense blackbirds, two cannons: my feet

Possible answers: gigantic, ______________________________ enormous, large, boundless ______________________________

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Ode to My Socks

Ode to My Socks 30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

were honored in this way by these heavenly socks. They were so handsome for the first time my feet seemed to me unacceptable like two decrepit firemen, firemen unworthy of that woven fire, of those glowing socks. Nevertheless I resisted the sharp temptation to save them somewhere as schoolboys keep fireflies, as learned men collect sacred texts, I resisted the mad impulse to put them into a golden cage and each day give them birdseed and pieces of pink melon. Like explorers in the jungle who hand over the very rare green deer to the spit1 and eat it

Reading Strategy Monitor Comprehension Can socks honor something? What do you think Neruda is trying to say in lines 27–33?

Students might say that _______________________________ the socks are so warm, _______________________________


comfortable, and beautiful _______________________________ that he feels fortunate to be _______________________________ wearing them. _______________________________

Vocabulary decrepit (di krepʼ it) adj. broken down or worn out by age or illness

Read and Discuss Can you tell what kind of person Neruda was from reading this poem? Underline words that give you clues about what he was like. Discuss with a partner what Neruda’s words tell you about him. On the lines below, write three words that you believe describe his personality.

Students may conclude that ____________________________ Neruda was imaginative, ____________________________ friendly, detail-oriented, and ____________________________

Reading Strategy Monitor Comprehension Explain that, to find out what the speaker means in that line, students have to reread the words that follow. Model Notice how the speaker goes on to say how handsome the socks were and that the first time he put them on, it seemed his feet weren’t worthy of wearing such wonderful socks. Ask yourself what these images have in common. Try saying what the speaker means in your own words.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students’ answers are vague, write the words imaginative and grateful on the board. Then challenge pairs to search the poem for examples of unusual imagery or expressions of gratitude.

optimistic. ____________________________

Vocabulary sacred (sāʼ krid) adj. holy; worthy of being worshipped 1. A spit is a thin, pointed rod on which meat is roasted, often over a fire.

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Fluency Pacing: Phrasing Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on reading in phrases or complete sentences for clarity, rather than word by word. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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Ode to My Socks Vocabulary

70

remorse (ri môrsʼ ing) n. feelings of guilt or regret because of past wrongdoing 75

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element 80

Literary Element Free Verse You may need to help students eliminate one or more options. Model I don’t think the first option is likely, because in the earlier part of the poem he didn’t have any trouble coming up with ways to describe the socks. The third option doesn’t sound right either, because most of the words he uses are plain and simple. “Beauty” and “good” are positive words, and I think he is using them to explain how he feels.

Free Verse Circle the words that appear more than once in lines 79–85. Why do you think Neruda repeats these words? Put a check mark next to the correct answer. ■ He can’t think of any other words to describe the socks. ✓ He wants to emphasize how ■ beautiful and useful the socks are. ■ He wants to impress the reader by using fancy language.

85

with remorse, I stretched out my feet and pulled on the magnificent socks and then my shoes. The moral of my ode is this: beauty is twice beauty and what is good is doubly good when it is a matter of two socks made of wool in winter.

READING CHECK Question What do you think is the most unusual thing about this poem? Write your answer on the lines below. Students might say that it is unusual to treat a pair of socks ______________________________________________________ as something so wonderful. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question Spot-check students’ answers to determine how well they comprehend the poem’s meaning and message. Students may contend that it is odd to think that socks can honor a person’s feet. They may also reply that it is unusual to want to hide a pair of socks or to keep them as pets. Ask students how the speaker probably feels about the person who gave him the socks. (He must care about the person a great deal.)

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After You Read

After You Read

Ode to My Socks

Connect to the Poem Look back at the Connect to the Poem activity on page 118. Reread the answers to your questions. Neruda wrote lovingly and vividly about a pair of socks. Have your ideas about valuable and prized objects changed since reading the poem? Would you select the same object or another? In what ways did the author cause you to think and feel differently about your everyday objects? Write your answers on the lines below.

Connect to the Poem If students have trouble, ask them the following questions:

Students should be able to explain their reasons for changing or not changing their answers. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

• For whom did Pablo Neruda write his poems? (everyone) How did this affect his writing style and choice of subjects? (He wrote about simple, everyday objects. He wrote odes but tried to make them easy to understand.)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element Free Verse Writing in free verse allows Neruda to explore his subject without paying attention to rules about how a poem should be organized. For example, he can break lines in the middle of a sentence to emphasize certain words. With a partner, choose an excerpt from the poem in which a one-word line helps to emphasize an important image. Write your choice below. Explain why that word is important to the poem’s overall meaning.

• What was Pablo Neruda’s main interest besides writing poetry? (politics and social justice for all people in Chile) How you think this connected to how he wrote his poems? (He did not want to write for the elite. He wrote poetry for everyone, the common person.)

Possible answer: “beauty is twice / beauty”; placing the word “beauty” on its own line helps the speaker _________________________________________________________________________________________________ emphasize the importance of attractiveness, even of everyday objects. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Neruda uses some surprising images to express his feelings. With the same partner, make a list of all of the things Neruda compares his feet to. fish, sharks, blackbirds, cannons, and decrepit firemen _________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Did Neruda’s personality affect his writing? How? (He was a passionate person. His poems reflected this and expressed his feelings about nature and other topics.)

Reading Strategy Monitor Comprehension Monitoring how well you are understanding an unusual poem like Neruda’s can help you figure out its meaning. Paraphrasing and asking questions are tools that will help you understand it. In your own words, write what happens in “Ode to My Socks.” A friend brought the speaker a pair of knitted socks she made. When he tried them on, he could not believe _________________________________________________________________________________________________ how soft and beautiful they were. He was tempted to hide the socks, maybe feeling that they are “too good” _________________________________________________________________________________________________ to use, but decides not to. He feels he has been blessed with something that is beautiful and useful. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Personal Pronouns Prepare students to complete the activity on page A20. Read the grammar instruction with students; complete the first item or two with them to help them get started.

Ode to My Socks

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After You Read

After You Read

Ode to My Socks

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Circle the answer that best fits the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary word in each sentence.

Academic Vocabulary

1. The game would be played before thousands of people in a(n) immense stadium.

Write the following sentence on the board: An everyday object like a sock is not compatible with some people’s idea of beauty.

a noisy

c huge

b hidden

d wide

2. The decrepit racecar could not complete a single lap around the track.

Tell students that compatible is an academic word. Other words that are similar in meaning are wellmatched and suitable.

a broken-down

c stylish

b expensive

d hand-crafted

3. Musicians were allowed to perform only sacred music in the great cathedral.

Ask students to work in pairs to discuss how Neruda makes the stanzas of “Ode to My Socks” compatible. Have pairs volunteer their answers in a class discussion. (They might say that the stanzas all have a musical quality because they are written in free verse.)

a ancient

c beloved

b quiet

d holy

4. Tanya felt great remorse after ridiculing a teammate who missed making a goal. a disappointment

c insincerity

b guilt

d meanness

B. Synonyms With a partner, match each boldfaced vocabulary word below with its synonym. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to check your answers.

After Reading Have students complete the after reading activity on page 311.

1 immense

a mended

2 decrepit

b revered

3 sacred

c distress

4 remorse

d anger e ruined f immeasurable


➡

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Writing Link Poem Have students think about an important object in their lives. Tell them to consider reasons for its importance. For example, was it given to them by a special person? Has it had a major influence on the events in their lives? Does it stand as a symbol for something important to them? Have them write a poem in free verse about the object. Tell them to think and write in complete thoughts, and to think of their classmates as their audience. Explain that it is not necessary to reveal embarrassing or personal information. Students’ poems should • focus on a single item • express complete thoughts about why that item is meaningful to the student • be written in free verse, with few or no rhymes and with little regularity in line breaks or rhythm

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 125–132 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing speaker. Reading: Applying background knowledge.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Poems Ask students to look at the two poems they are about to read. Which one looks like the kind of poem they are used to reading? (“To An Aged Bear”) Explain that “The Print of the Paw” is a prose poem—a poem written in sentences and paragraphs rather than with line breaks. Tell students that prose poems use imagery, rhythm, and other poetic devices to express ideas and emotions.

The

Explain that students will be reading two poems by the same author, and that each poem is about a bear. Ask: What do you already know about bears? What might a bear symbolize in a poem? (Students may mention types of bears or describe them physically. A bear might symbolize power, hunger, or nature.)

Print of the Paw

To an Aged Bear by N. Scott Momaday

The Print of the Paw and To an Aged Bear

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Poems

Literary Element • Speaker

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Word Origins • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Apply Background Knowledge



The Print of the Paw/To an Aged Bear

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Before You Read

Before You Read

The

Print of the Paw

To an Aged Bear

Connect to the Poems In these poems, N. Scott Momaday describes his admiration of a wild bear—an animal that many people would find frightening. Answer the following statements based on your own opinions and experiences. For each item, circle True or False.

Connect to the Poems Have students to respond to the anticipation guide. Ask students if they think humans and nature share a connection. Tell students that because of modern technology and industry, people often overlook nature. Ask students to think about a time that they encountered nature and describe some of the things they observed. Have students discuss their descriptions with a partner.

1. People and wild animals should be separated so they don’t harm each other. True False 2. An ordinary part of nature, such as a paw print, can be beautiful and inspiring. True False 3. Everything in nature is connected to everything else in nature. True False

Build Background

Build Background Read the Build Background note with students. Explain how Momaday’s interaction with American Indian cultures influenced his writing. Tell them that his knowledge of American Indians and their heritage inspired him to write poems and novels about American Indians.

•

Navarre Scott Momaday learned about American Indian culture from his parents. His father was an artist who belonged to the Kiowa tribe. His mother was a writer of Cherokee and English descent. Both of them taught literature and art on reservations in the Southwest.

•

Momaday grew to love creative writing, classic literature, and traditional Native American storytelling. He taught on a reservation and at several universities.

•

Through his teaching and writing, Momaday has helped increase interest in the lives, history, and various cultures of American Indians. His works often discuss the conflict between nature and the modern world.

Without looking back at the background note, write a sentence that describes how American Indian culture influenced Momaday’s writing. Students might say that his ancestry and the time he spent on reservations influenced him to write about ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ traditional cultures and nature. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pair students. Direct pairs to read the Set Purposes for Reading note. Then have each pair spend two minutes listing ways that a writer could make a frightening animal, such as a bear, seem sympathetic. Ask volunteers to share their responses. (Possible answers: make the bear old or injured; describe it eating berries rather than hunting smaller animals)

Set Purposes for Reading While reading the poems, notice how Momaday describes an animal that most people fear in a way that is very sympathetic.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Speaker

The speaker of a poem is the “voice” you “hear” when reading a poem. Like the narrator in a story, the speaker describes his or her point of view or attitude toward a subject. A poem’s speaker can be the poet, but it can also be a character the poet created to represent a certain point of view. Work with a partner to answer this question: If you were planning to write a poem about a bear, how would the poem change if the speaker were a hunter, a scientist, an artist, or the bear itself? Discuss your responses with the class. Students will say that the speaker of the poem will likely affect the poem’s point of view, language level, and amount of detail.

Literary Element Speaker Ask students to describe what a speaker is in a poem and how it is similar to and differs from the narrator of a story. Help students understand that the speaker of a poem tells the reader how he or she feels, what he or she believes, or what he or she experiences, just like a narrator.

Reading Strategy Apply Background Knowledge When you apply background knowledge, you use what you already know to better understand a literary work. Background knowledge can include details about the writer’s life or the time and place the writer lived in. This information can help you uncover new meanings in the work. For example, you already know some facts about N. Scott Momaday’s life and career. This information will help you understand the two poems you are about to read. As you read, use the chart below. In the left column, write words or phrases from the poem that you think indicate something about the poet’s background. In the right column, explain why you think these words or phrases reveal something about the author’s life. Words or Phrases

What They Reveal About the Poet’s Life

“a mythic and wondrous thing”

The speaker (and probably the poet) is in awe of the natural world.

“Translate yourself to spirit . . . Be the singing of the soil.”

Both speaker and poet most likely believe that all things in the natural world are connected.

Vocabulary

Reading Strategy Apply Background Knowledge Ask students to explain why it is important to know about a poet’s life. (Students should note that having background knowledge can help them understand what the poet’s point of view is and whether it is the same as the speaker’s.)

Word Origins

Word origins tell us where words come from and how they develop and change over time. Most dictionaries contain word origins. For example, if you look up the word meticulous in a dictionary, you might see the following information: [L: meticulosus]. This means that the modern word meticulous stems from the Latin word meticulosus, which means “fearful.”

Vocabulary meticulous (mi tikʼ yə ləs) adj. precise; careful; worried about details cipher (sı̄ʼ fər) n. a signifying figure; a number or symbol glyph (glif) n. a symbolic figure or picture infirmity (in furʼ mə tē) n. a weakness or illness, especially from old age conflagration (konʼ flə grāʼ shən) n. a huge fire



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: Someone who is meticulous worries about details. Example: He meticulously arranged his books according to shape, size, and color. Ask: What are you meticulous about? (Possible answer: the way I store my CDs) EXAMPLE

A cipher is a number or figure that symbolizes or stands for something. The map had several ciphers that showed where the stores, bus stops, and parking garages were located. Explain a cipher that you have seen. EXPLANATION A glyph is a symbolic figure or picture. The sculpture was covered in spirals, arrows, and other glyphs. Describe a glyph that you have seen. DESCRIPTION

Infirmity means “weakness” or “illness.” The former weightlifter’s infirmity prevents him from lifting heavy things. What words are the opposite of infirmity? ANTONYM A conflagration is a huge fire. The conflagration destroyed thousands of trees. How is the word conflagration similar to flame? COMPARE AND CONTRAST


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The Print of the Paw


The

Print of the Paw

Literary Element Speaker Reread lines 5 and 6. What do the word choice and the amount of detail tell you about the speaker?

He or she is intelligent and _______________________________

Literary Element Speaker If students have difficulty, point out that “the heel’s hollow,” “the claw’s piercings,” and “precisely placed in the earth” are all detailed, sophisticated expressions.

sophisticated and notices details. _______________________________

Vocabulary meticulous (mi tikʼ yə ləs) adj. precise; careful; worried about details

Read and Discuss Partner Talk Read and Discuss

Ask volunteers for their responses. If student responses are vague, point out that a paw print would be easy to ignore or to miss altogether. Someone who not only noticed a paw print but also described it in so much detail probably is interested in animals and respects them.

It lies among leaves. Indeed, a leaf, fast and broken, is impressed in the heel’s deep hollow. The leaf is yellow and brown, and brittle at the edges. The edges have been crushed; there is a fine dust of color, like pollen, in the mold. Deeper than the heel’s hollow are the claw’s piercings. They are precisely placed in the earth as if the great beast moved with meticulous grace. The toes turn inward, perhaps to describe like a keel1 the center of gravity upon which a great weight is balanced. Were I to construct a model of this bear, based upon this single print, it would turn out to be a mythic and wondrous thing. It would be a cipher, a glyph, a huge shape emergent on the wall of a cave, a full figure in polychrome2—splotches of red and yellow in black outline. And I would be an artist of the first rank on this occasion, if on no other, for I should proceed directly, in the disinterested manner of a child, from this nearly perfect print of the paw. And all who should lay eyes upon my work would know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, how much I love the bear whose print this is. Jemez Springs, 1997

How do you think the speaker of this poem feels about animals? Discuss this question with a partner. Underline words and phrases in the poem that support your opinion.

Vocabulary

1. A keel is the long piece of wood or steel along the bottom of a boat or ship that helps keep it steady. 2. Polychrome means “decorated in many colors.”

cipher (sı̄ʼ fər) n. a number or symbol glyph (glif) n. a symbolic figure or picture

READING CHECK Question Why does the speaker love the bear? Write your answer on the lines below. The bear is graceful, powerful, mysterious, and a part of ______________________________________________________ nature. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question Most student answers will relate to the bear’s qualities of strength, grace, and mystery. Some students may focus on the author instead, commenting that because the author loves and appreciates nature, the poem’s speaker loves the bear as well.

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To an Aged Bear Hold hard this infirmity. It defines you. You are old.

Vocabulary infirmity (in furʼ mə tē) n. a weakness or illness, especially from old age

Now fix yourself in summer, In thickets of ripe berries, 5

Vocabulary

And venture toward the ridge Where you were born. Await there

conflagration (konʼ flə grāʼ shən) n. a huge fire

The setting sun. Be alive To that old conflagration

10

Vocabulary Skill Word Origins Which Latin word did conflagration come from? Check a dictionary. Then write the Latin word and its meaning on the lines below.

One more time. Mortality Is your shadow and your shade. Translate yourself to spirit; Be present on your journey.

conflagrare, “to burn up”

______________________________

Keep to the trees and waters. Be the singing of the soil. Santa Fe, 1995

Reading Strategy

READING CHECK Summarize

Apply Background Knowledge How do you think the speaker feels about nature? Review what you know about Momaday’s life. What do you think might have influenced him to create this speaker? Discuss your ideas with a partner.

Explain the main message of this poem in your own words.

Possible answer: All living things _______________________________

Possible answer: The speaker is telling an old bear not to ______________________________________________________

are connected. Momaday’s _______________________________

fear old age and death. Instead, the bear should go to its ______________________________________________________

parents and the time he spent _______________________________

birthplace and think about nature. When it is time for the ______________________________________________________

studying American Indian _______________________________

bear to die, it will become part of the natural world all ______________________________________________________

cultures probably affected his _______________________________

around it. ______________________________________________________

views of nature. _______________________________



To an Aged Bear

Vocabulary Word Origins You may wish to have students practice this skill by finding the word origins of the other vocabulary words in the poems. Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a vocabulary word or another word from the poems, such as brittle, venture, mortality, or translate. Have students look up the words in an online dictionary or a traditional dictionary.

Reading Strategy Apply Background Knowledge If students are having difficulty, have them reread the Build Background section on the Before You Read pages. Then have students think about what the last two lines of the poem mean and what would influence Momaday to write them.

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Reading Check Summarize The symbolism and imagery in this poem may confuse many students. Clarify the poem’s meaning by having students reread and summarize the first two lines. (The bear is old but should not try to escape or ignore the weaknesses of its old age.) Ask what “the setting sun” in line 7 might symbolize. (the end of life) Draw students’ attention to the word mortality in line 9 and explain that it means “death.” Then ask students to explain the meaning of “Translate yourself to spirit.” (become one with the spirit world—in other words, die) Ask students the meaning of the last two lines. (Possible answer: The bear’s spirit will merge with nature and will be present in trees, water, and earth.)

To an Aged Bear

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After You Read

Print of the Paw To an Aged Bear

The

After You Read

Connect to the Poems Look back at the answers you wrote on page 126. Did the poems you just read make you think differently about nature? Would you change any of your answers? On the lines below, explain why or why not.

Connect to the Poems

Students should explain why they would or would not change their answers. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If the class is having difficulty, ask these questions:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

• In the first poem, how are the speaker and the bear separated? How are they connected? (The speaker appreciates the bear indirectly, by examining its paw print, rather than watching or interacting with the bear itself. However, the speaker feels an emotional connection with the bear.)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element

Speaker

As you read the poems, what helped you identify the speaker and his or her point of view? Write your answers on the lines below.

• In the first poem, why does the speaker think the paw print is beautiful? (It is perfectly formed and shows the grace a bear has.)

Students will most likely say that details and word choice within the poem helped them figure out the _________________________________________________________________________________________________ identity and point of view of the speaker. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

• According to the speaker of the second poem, how is the bear connected to the trees, the waters, and the soil? (The bear will eventually become part of those things after it dies.)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Apply Background Knowledge Look at the chart you made about Momaday’s background and his personal connection with the poem. How did applying background knowledge help you understand the poems? Knowing that he loved nature and understood how many American Indians treated nature helps the reader _________________________________________________________________________________________________ understand how Momaday felt about the bears. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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After You Read

After You Read


The

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning For each item, decide which word best matches the meaning of the boldfaced word. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

Academic Vocabulary

1. In “The Print of the Paw,” the speaker describes a bear’s paw print in meticulous detail. a wild

c ancient

b expressive

d precise

Write the following sentence on the board: The speaker inspects a leaf that the bear crushed underfoot.

2. The speaker also describes a mysterious cipher that could be painted on a cave wall. a fire

c map

b symbol

d color

Explain that inspect is an academic vocabulary word. Other words that are similar in meaning are examine and study.

3. The glyph on the cave wall would be painted in splotchy shades of red, yellow, and black. a bear

c rock

b figure

d spectrum

Pair students. Have each pair look up the word inspect in a dictionary. Then have them list places or objects that people inspect and people who inspect them. For example, a detective might inspect a crime scene for clues.

4. In the poem “To An Aged Bear,” the bear has a serious infirmity. a weakness related to being old

c connection with the natural world

b desire to return to a birthplace

d communication problem

5. The poet describes the setting sun as a conflagration. a red ball

c marker of time

b massive blaze

d mysterious symbol

B. Word Origins For each item, describe how the meaning of the word’s origin is related to the word’s current meaning. people fear errors, so they pay attention to 1. meticulous (Latin root: meticulosus—“fearful”) Meticulous ___________________________________________________ details. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ infirmity is a weakness or illness. 2. infirmity (Latin root: infirmus—“weak, frail”) An ______________________________________________________ conflagration is a huge fire. 3. conflagration (Latin root: conflagrare—“to burn up”) A ______________________________________________ glyph is a figure or symbol, although in modern times the 4. glyph (Greek root: glyph—“carved work”) A________________________________________________________ word doesn’t always mean a sculpture or carving. ___________________________________________________________________________________________



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Writing Link Journal Entry Have students write a journal entry about a time they were awed by nature, an experience they had with nature, or a natural wonder—such as Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon—that they would like to see. Students’ journal entries should • focus on a single experience • be written in the first person • give details that help the reader understand the significance of the experience • use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation


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After You Read

After You Read


The

Venn Diagram Reread “The Print of the Paw.” Think about the subject and the speaker of the poem. The subject is a bear, and the speaker is a person who found the paw print. Complete the Venn diagram, listing at least two characteristics that the bear and the speaker share and at least three that they do not share.

Bear Animal Unaware of the speaker’s existence Powerful Graceful

Both Living things Part of nature

Speaker Human Notices many details about the bear’s paw print Artistic Loves nature and life Awed by the bear

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 133–138 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing haiku. Reading: Interpreting imagery.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Haiku Have students turn to page 136. Direct students’ attention to the selections. Ask: How does the title relate to what you see on the page? (It reveals that what follows it are three separate poems, and the form of the poems.) Explain that what appears to be one poem with three stanzas is actually three separate poems. Tell students to look, as they read, for the themes, imagery, and ideas that link the three poems.

Three HAIKU by Matsuo Bashoˆ

Three Haiku

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Haiku

Literary Element • Haiku

Vocabulary • Academic Vocabulary


Writing Link • Haiku


Three Haiku

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Before You Read

Before You Read

Three HAIKU

Connect to the Haiku

The author of these three haiku offers some personal reflections on the changing of the seasons. What images and sensations come to mind when you think of autumn and spring? What thoughts do these seasons inspire in you? Work with a partner to brainstorm images that you associate with these seasons. Write the images on the lines below.

Connect to the Haiku Monitor students’ progress. Suggest possible images to stimulate their thinking, such as Trick-or-Treating or going to the beach. Ask: Do these images inspire happy, serious, or sad thoughts? (Students might notice that many of the spring images inspire happy thoughts and many of the autumn images inspire more negative thoughts.) Encourage partners to list a variety of images and impressions that inspire different kinds of thoughts.

Answers will vary but may include the following: autumn—the start of school, leaves changing color, falling leaves, ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ cool or cold temperatures, shorter days, the first frost, warm clothes, football games, Halloween, and Thanksgiving; ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ spring—budding trees, new flowers, warmer temperatures, longer days, baseball, school proms, final exams ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Review the images that you and your partner brainstormed. What thoughts do these images inspire? List them on the lines below. Possible answers: autumn—the end of summer vacation, reconnecting with classmates, school spirit, holiday ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ festivities, approaching winter, nature’s hibernation or death; spring—the end of school approaching, anticipation ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ for summer vacation, nature’s rebirth ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

Build Background

Tell students that Bashô mastered the art of haiku by the time he was in his thirties and spent most of his adult life traveling and writing haiku that described his thoughts and impressions from his journeys. Ask volunteers to list the characteristics of haiku they learned in the Build Background activity and write their answers on the board. (Haiku is the shortest poetic form in the world. Haiku uses as few words as possible. It often depicts experiences or images from nature. It is intended to provoke thought in the reader.) Explain that they will learn more about this poetic form as they continue the lesson.

•

Haiku is the shortest poetic form in the world.

•

Early writers of haiku, including the seventeenth-century Japanese poet Matsuo Bash, strove to place readers within an experience of nature that is described simply and sparingly. They hoped their poems would inspire reflection and enlightenment in their readers.

•

After the death of his close friend Todo Yoshitada, who had a passion for poetry, Bash dedicated his life to writing haiku.

•

Bash eventually became a Zen priest. He gave up all his possessions and traveled on pilgrimages with fellow priests and poets.

•

The poems he wrote during his journeys explore themes of beauty, loneliness, and suffering.

Working in small groups, discuss the information you learned in the Build Background section. Based on this information, what insights might you expect to gain from the three haiku you are about to read?

Set Purposes for Reading Read to learn about Bash’s observations and thoughts on the changing of seasons.

Set Purposes for Reading Explain that Bashô’s thoughts about the changing of the seasons will not be directly stated in the poems. Students will need to infer them based on the descriptions he provides of each scene.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Haiku

Japanese haiku is a poetic form consisting of one, three-line stanza. A line is the basic unit of a poem. It consists of a row of words. The length of a line, which is determined by the number of words and syllables in it, varies depending on the form of poem that an author creates. A stanza is a group of lines that form a larger unit within a poem. A poem may have one or more stanzas, depending on the poetic form chosen. In a haiku, ideally, the first and third lines contain five syllables each, and the second line contains seven—a total of seventeen syllables in the entire poem. The goal of an author of haiku is to describe a scene simply and sparingly.

Literary Element Haiku Ask volunteers to list the structural requirements of haiku and write them on the board with the characteristics of haiku they learned during the Build Background activity. (A haiku is one stanza long. A haiku has three lines. The first and third lines of haiku are five syllables long. The second line of haiku is seven syllables long. A haiku is seventeen syllables long. Haiku describe scenes in few words.) Review the structural requirements of haiku before students read the poems. Point out that because these are translations of Bashô’s poems and not the original poems themselves, they may not meet all of the requirements of haiku when translated into English.

Translators of haiku try to match the intent and spirit of the original poem, but they do not always follow the strict requirements of the form. As you read the three haiku that follow, evaluate how closely each of them fulfills the requirements of the form.

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Imagery refers to pictures that authors create to evoke emotional responses in their readers. To create these pictures, authors use sensory details that appeal to sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. When you interpret imagery, you are using your own knowledge of and reaction to sensory details to create meaning out of the imagery that is presented in a piece of literature. As you read the three haiku, try to visualize the scenes they depict. Use sensory details—what you see, feel, hear, taste, or smell—to create a specific picture in your mind. Record the picture in a graphic organizer like the one below. In the first column, list an image from the haiku. In the second column, record what you visualize. Then, in the third column, expand this visualization to a full scene that you picture in your mind. One possibility for the first poem has been provided for you. Students’ visualizations will vary but should follow the model provided in the graphic organizer below. Line

Visualization

Expansion

It would melt in my hand.

Frost is melting in someone’s hand.

I see a man outdoors. It is cold. He is bundled in warm clothing. He has gathered a lump of frost and is looking at it as it melts in his hand.

the end of autumn

A tree

I see a large maple tree. The air is cold around it, and the few leaves left are bright red. They fall to the ground, where they crunch under the feet of passersby.

a nameless hill/in the haze

A hill rising out of mist

I see a yellow-green hill covered in clover. It is early morning and mist clings to the damp earth.

Three Haiku


Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Explain that students can expand their visualizations in any way that they choose. There is no one correct way to visualize the scenes. Students should focus on describing what they picture and not worry about whether or not it agrees with what other students picture.

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Three Haiku

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Three Haiku

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Students may have difficulty picturing a scene for the second poem. The lack of specific visual details in the haiku makes it open to a variety of interpretations. Ask: What do you see when you hear the words “the first day of spring”? (Possible answers: picnics, running outside, earthworms, buds) Then point out that on the first day of spring, the speaker thinks of autumn. Ask: Why might the speaker think of autumn on the first day of spring? (Possible answer: Though the beginning of spring brings about rebirth, the speaker is preoccupied with the thought that autumn, and death, will come eventually.)

Three HAIKU Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery What scene do you picture in each poem? What details convey this scene? Write answers to these questions on the lines below.

Melting snow on an autumn _______________________________ day based on the frost melting _______________________________ in the hand; the first day of _______________________________

Discuss the effectiveness of the translations in fulfilling the spirit of haiku poetry. Point out, if students do not, that the translator has used even fewer syllables than the requirements of haiku specify. This is in keeping with the goal of writing sparingly, using as few words as possible.

First day of spring— I keep thinking about the end of autumn. Spring! a nameless hill in the haze.

spring, based on what comes _______________________________ after the end of autumn; hills, _______________________________ perhaps in a country setting, _______________________________ based on the nameless hill in _______________________________ the haze. _______________________________

Literary Element Haiku Do you think the translator has succeeded in fulfilling the goal of the haiku form? Why or why not?

Students should agree that the _______________________________

Literary Element Haiku

It would melt in my hand— the autumn frost.

translator has described the _______________________________ scenes simply and sparingly, _______________________________ but that the images provoke _______________________________ thought. _______________________________

READING CHECK Summarize Review the three poems. What thoughts do you think were on the speaker’s mind as he viewed the scenes he describes? Summarize them briefly on the lines below. Students may suggest that the scenes inspired the speaker ______________________________________________________ to think about the significance of the changing of the ______________________________________________________ seasons and, perhaps on another level, the inevitability ______________________________________________________ of death. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize If students have difficulty providing a brief summary, ask questions to help students understand the speaker’s thought process. Ask: What does the fact that the frost melts in the speaker’s hand say about it? (It is fragile and brief.) Ask: What season would you associate with melting ice? (Spring) Ask: What does this seem to say about autumn frost? (It will eventually be melted when spring comes.) Lead students through other such questions to help them understand the speaker’s train of thought.

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After You Read

Three HAIKU

After You Read

Connect to the Haiku

Review the images and thoughts you listed during the activity on page 134. Are your examples similar to or different from the images and thoughts you encountered in the haiku? How so? Write your answers on the lines below.


Most students will probably say that the images and thoughts they associate with autumn and spring are _________________________________________________________________________________________________ more conventional and upbeat than the ones they encountered in the poems. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Students might struggle with making inferences about the reflections implied in the haiku’s imagery. To spur students’ thought processes, Ask: What season would the speaker probably associate with melting snow? (Spring)

Literary Element Haiku The goal of a haiku is to convey an idea or impression within a strict poetic form using as few words as possible. The one-stanza, three-line, seventeen-syllable form demands that the poet express his or her ideas without using unnecessary words. In what ways do the translations meet the requirements of haiku? In what ways do the translations deviate from the requirements?

Ask: Why might the speaker think of autumn on the first day of spring? (He is preoccupied with mortality.) Ask: Why might the speaker think of the end of autumn rather than the beginning of autumn? (That is the point at which most of nature has died or is in hibernation.)

Each poem is one stanza long and contains three lines. The translator has used simple language and has _________________________________________________________________________________________________ expressed ideas concisely. There are no unnecessary words. None of the poems contain the exact number of _________________________________________________________________________________________________ syllables specified for each line. The second poem comes closest to doing so. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Working in small groups, discuss the questions below to interpret the significance of the imagery in the poems. Write your answers on the lines provided.

Ask: Why might the speaker picture spring as a nameless hill in the haze rather than a specifically named hill on a clear day? (Spring seems distant during autumn and winter.) Encourage students to link together the information they have found in answering these questions.

What images of autumn and spring appear in the haiku? Autumn—frost; spring—frost melting in a hand, a nameless hill in the haze _________________________________________________________________________________________________ What might these images represent symbolically? Frost: approaching death of things in the natural world, thoughts of one’s mortality; melting frost: spring, _________________________________________________________________________________________________ rebirth; nameless hill in the haze: an idea or belief that is indistinct, unclear, uncertain, or doubted _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Share the expanded visualizations you created for each poem with your group. Which one, if any, did you find the most difficult to visualize? Why? Students’ visualizations will vary. Many will find the second poem the most difficult to visualize because _________________________________________________________________________________________________ “first day of spring,” and “autumn” are vague sensory images. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you imagine the speaker to be young, middle-aged, or older? Why? Students will probably assume that the speaker is older based on the poems’ focus on mortality. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Three Haiku


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Writing Link Haiku Have students try their hand at writing a haiku. Suggest that they begin by thinking of a simple scene in nature to describe—for example, a gently flowing stream, the movement of clouds, or the sun rising. Then tell them to write a sentence describing the scene, choosing words that convey a specific mood. After completing their sentence, they can break it down into three lines according to the number of syllables required for each line. Explain that they may need to change or delete words in order to fulfill the requirements of each line. Students’ haiku should • fulfill the line and stanza requirements of a haiku • contain nature imagery • provoke thought in the reader • use minimal wording Three Haiku

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After You Read

After You Read

Concept Map

Three HAIKU

Concept maps provide a simple, visually helpful way to organize information about a subject. Review the information you’ve learned about haiku in this lesson. Then fill in the boxes that surround the subject haiku. Some boxes have been started or completed for you. Use the information in the first example box as a model for guiding your thinking in creating entries for the remaining example boxes.

Academic Vocabulary Write this sentence on the board: Haiku uses a minimal number of words to express volumes of meaning.

Assign this activity either before or after students have completed the activities on the previous page. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Students can use the completed concept map to help them answer the questions on that page or as a _________________________________________________________________________________________________ summarizing activity to review what they’ve learned. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Inform students that minimal is an academic word. Based on what you’ve learned about haiku, can you guess what it means? (very little or few; the least possible) If needed, provide students with its meaning. Then ask volunteers to use it in a sentence. (Traffic was minimal, so I made it to my appointment on time.)

Definition A very brief poem, Japanese in origin, which describes a scene and/or experience in nature.

Purpose or Goal To concisely present ideas that will inspire reflection and enlightenment

Structure • one stanza • three lines • seventeen syllables in a 5-7-5 pattern

Haiku

Example

Example

In the first poem, the speaker is reminded of death and rebirth while looking at frost melting.

In the second poem, the first day of spring reminds the speaker of autumn and the inevitability of the changing of the seasons.

Example In the third poem, the speaker likens spring to a nameless hill in the haze— something indistinct, uncertain, and perhaps unattainable.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 139–146 In studying these texts, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing personification. Reading: Comparing and contrasting tone.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Poems Direct students’ attention to the title of the first poem. Ask: What do you think the word formal means in the context of the title? Model A formal feeling is something that comes after great pain, so perhaps formal means serious or sober or reserved or rigid or unbending. Have students discuss which of these definitions comes closest to describing how someone might feel after suffering great pain. Turn to the second title. Ask: Who is Him? (Someone the author or speaker wants to forget, perhaps someone who has wronged her.) Explain that Emily Dickinson was a very private person who wrote her poetry in quiet seclusion. The two poems in this lesson, like most of her poetry, reveal her personal, heartfelt observations and feelings about life. Finally, point out that students will learn more about Dickinson and her poetry in the Build Background segment.

After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes

Heart! We Will Forget Him! by Emily Dickinson

After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes and Heart! We Will Forget Him!

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Poems

Literary Element • Personification

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Antonyms • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Compare and Contrast Tone Writing Link • Paragraph

Word Study • Antonyms BLM

BLM

BLM Grammar Link • Using Pronouns Correctly BLM


After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes/Heart! We Will Forget Him!

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Before You Read

Before You Read


Heart! We Will Forget Him!

Connect to the Poems In these two short poems, Emily Dickinson explores the physical and emotional pain of grief and loss. How do people you know respond to personal adversity, such as financial hardships, a serious illness or death in the family, a broken romance or friendship, and the like? Do they express their feelings openly or bottle them up? Do they seek support or retreat into their own worlds? Do they grieve for a long time or resolve it and move on? Write your thoughts on the lines below.

Connect to the Poems Ask: Is there a proper way and an improper way to handle grief? Does how long one grieves or mourns over a loss depend on the circumstances? Point out that in many cultures, widows used to be expected to mourn the loss of their husbands for a lengthy period, often a full year, during which time they avoided wearing colorful clothing and attending social events outside the home. Not observing these restrictions was considered to be scandalously disrespectful. Ask: What is your reaction to this expectation? (Students might be shocked by this tradition or find it unreasonable.)

Answers will vary depending on the types of adversities discussed. Encourage students to discuss situations and ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ reactions in general terms, rather than providing specific, personal examples that might be painful to themselves ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ or others to reveal. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________


Emily Dickinson never married. She lived a life of solitude in her family’s home.

•

Little is known of Dickinson’s private life. Some scholars believe her self-imposed solitude was the result of loneliness or lovesickness. Others think it is possible she chose not to conform to social conventions of the time (which dictated that women should marry and have children) because a solitary life better suited her personality.

•

Dickinson began writing poetry at an early age, but almost all of her poems were published after she died. Her poems, which differ greatly from the sentimental poetry of her female contemporaries, focus on questions about life, death, God, and nature.

Point out that the specific circumstances that prompted Dickinson to write these poems are not revealed and cannot be known for sure. Tell students that these poems are not about painful events, but rather about the speaker’s reactions to those events.

•

Dickinson’s personal letters shed some light on events that may have inspired some of her poems. “After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes” was written at a time when the danger of Civil War threatened many of Dickinson’s friends. Her letters from the time she wrote “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” reveal the joy and frustration associated with great love for a man.


Students might infer that “After Great Pain . . .” will be about Dickinson’s grief over a painful event, perhaps ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

Working with a partner, discuss the information you learned in Build Background and study the titles of the two poems. Based on what you have learned about Dickinson, what do you think each poem will be about? Write your predictions on the lines below.

suffering, injury, or loss caused by the Civil War. They will probably infer that “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” will ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Encourage students to focus on the feelings that are expressed in each poem and the similarities and differences in how the speakers behave in them.

reveal Dickinson’s reaction to an unhappy romance. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading Read to learn the insights Dickinson offers about dealing with grief and loss.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech in which nonliving objects or things are given human characteristics. Recognizing a poet’s use of personification can help you understand what he or she intended to communicate in a poem. As you read these two poems, look for objects that Dickinson personifies.

Literary Element Personification

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Tone A poet’s tone is his or her attitude toward the subject matter. The tone may be happy, sad, angry, amused, or any other attitude. Poets communicate tone through stylistic elements such as word choice, sentence structures, punctuation, and figurative language. Dickinson often uses a playful tone that belies the serious nature of her subject matter. As you read, look for details that communicate tone. Fill in the last two columns of the chart below with answers to the questions in the first column. Some answers have been provided for you. Questions Who is the speaker?

“After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes”

If students struggle with the concept of personification, provide examples from animated movies, cartoons, advertisements, folk tales, and nursery rhymes with which they are familiar.

“Heart! We Will Forget Him”

Someone who has suffered a painful loss

Who does the speaker address? Unspecified; perhaps herself or someone who wishes to know what such loss feels like

Someone who wishes to forget a romantic interest

What is the subject?

How one feels after encountering Forgetting lost love great pain

What is the overall tone of the poem?

Sluggish, dispirited, detached

Desperate, urgent, pleading

What stylistic elements help create the tone?

Personification: Nerves, Heart, Feet; Word choices: formal, ceremonious, stiff, mechanical, contentment

Word choices: forget, tonight, pray, straight, Haste; Personification: Heart; Punctuation: Exclamation marks add intensity. Dashes create dramatic pauses.

Vocabulary

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Tone

The speaker’s heart

Tell students to read through each poem at least once before beginning their charts. Suggest that they may need to read the poems several times before they can complete every box in the chart. Monitor students’ progress, modeling possible answers as needed.

Antonyms

Words that have opposite or nearly opposite meanings are called antonyms. For example, the words work and play are antonyms. Read the vocabulary words and their definitions in the side column out loud. Then, for each vocabulary word below, underline the word beside it that is an antonym.

Vocabulary ceremonious (serʼ ə mōʼ nē əs) adj. careful to behave correctly; very formal or polite recollect (rekʼ ə lektʼ) v. to remember

ceremonious:

stuffy

impolite

recollect:

forget

recall

stupor (stooʼ pər) n. a state of extreme tiredness, as if unconscious

stupor:

numbness

alertness

lag (lag) v. to fall behind; to move slowly

lag:

go slowly

progress After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes and Heart! We Will Forget Him!


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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: People who act in a ceremonious manner are carefully observing social formalities such as rituals, customs, and matters of etiquette. Example: The hostess’s ceremonious attention to details ensured that the dignitaries would be treated with the greatest possible respect. Ask: What ceremonious functions or events have you attended? EXAMPLE

When you recollect something, you are recalling or remembering it. He recollected seeing the episode once before on TV but could not remember how it ended. What words or expressions can you think of that mean the same thing as recollect? SYNONYM

If you lag while on a group tour, you go slower than the rest of the group and fall behind. When we go to the mall, my little sister always lags behind us, gazing in the windows we pass. What would happen if you lagged behind others in a race? EXPLANATION

A stupor is a state of extreme tiredness. The elderly patient slumped in his wheelchair in a stupor. How can you tell if someone is in a stupor? EXPLANATION


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Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Personification If students have difficulty identifying examples of personification, tell them to look for objects or things that are followed by action verbs: Model I see an object, Nerves, followed by the action verb “sit.” I think Dickinson means that the Nerves are sitting as a person does, which is not something that a nerve actually does. Therefore, I think that this is an instance of personification. After discussing the examples in the first stanza, have students identify what is personified in the second stanza. (Feet)

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Tone If students have difficulty understanding the simile “like a stone,” provide a possible reaction to the question: Model Stones are hard substances. I don’t think of contentment as being hard. Then have students compare the words mechanical, wooden, and stones to the answer choices in the activity. Ask: Does a happy person act in a mechanical or wooden way? Is a happy person like a stone?

After great pain, a formal feeling comes — The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs — The stiff Heart questions was it He, that bore, And Yesterday, or Centuries before?

Vocabulary ceremonious (serʼ ə mó nē əs) adj. careful to behave correctly; very formal or polite 5

The Feet, mechanical, go round — Of Ground, or Air, or Ought1— A Wooden way Regardless grown, A Quartz contentment, like a stone —

10

This is the Hour of Lead — Remembered, if outlived, As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow — First — Chill — then Stupor — then the letting go —

Literary Element Personification Underline two examples of personification in the highlighted stanza.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Tone With a partner, discuss these questions: When feet move “mechanically” in “a wooden way,” are they moving slowly and stiffly or quickly and smoothly? What kind of “contentment” is “like a stone”? Then, with your answers to these questions in mind, place a box around the set of adjectives below that best describes the tone of this stanza.

1. Here, Ought means “anything,” and is an archaic alternative of aught.

READING CHECK

happy

carefree

contented

Summarize

numb

dazed

dispirited

upset

angry

outraged

Review both poems. Then explain in your own words what each one is about. “After Great Pain …” is about someone who has suffered ______________________________________________________

Vocabulary recollect (rekʼ ə lektʼ) v. to remember

a great loss (perhaps of a loved one or close friend). It ______________________________________________________ ends with a description of the stages of grief the individual ______________________________________________________ experiences. “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” is about someone ______________________________________________________

Vocabulary

who has been hurt by an unhappy or unrequited love. The ______________________________________________________

stupor (stooʼ pərʼ) n. a state of extreme tiredness, as if unconscious

individual pleads with her heart (herself) to forget the ill______________________________________________________ fated love. ______________________________________________________

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Repeat the process with the remaining words. 139-146_G10_APP_AfterGreatPain.i142 142

Word Study

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BLM

Antonyms Remind students that antonyms are words that have opposite or nearly opposite meanings. Direct students’ attention to the word formal in the first line of the poem. Ask: What words can you think of that have the opposite meaning of formal? (Possibilities include informal, casual, and relaxed.) Have students replace formal with one of these antonyms and ask them to explain how the meaning of the line changes. (The line now suggests that great pain causes the speaker to feel casual or relaxed.) Have students practice identifying and using other antonyms by completing the activity on page A21.

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Heart! We Will Forget Him! Heart! We will forget him! You and I — tonight! You may forget the warmth he gave — I will forget the light! When you have done, pray tell me That I may straight begin! Haste! lest1 while you’re lagging I remember him!

Literary Element Personification Why do you think the speaker addresses her heart? Write your answer on the lines below.



She wants to encourage _______________________________ herself to forget an unhappy or _______________________________ unrequited love. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary lag (lag) v. to fall behind; to move slowly

Literary Element Personification Remind students of the expression a broken heart. Have them explain what it means. (It figuratively describes the feelings of people who have been emotionally hurt by someone they love.) Ask: How does knowing the meaning of this expression help you answer the question? (Possible answer: Since her heart is the part of her that’s broken, she’s hoping specifically to repair it, thereby ending her pain.)

Reading Strategy Comparing and Contrasting Tone What feeling is communicated in this poem by the addition of exclamation points? Write your answer on the lines below.

The exclamation points add _______________________________ a sense of urgency to the _______________________________ speaker’s thoughts. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Tone To emphasize the influence of the exclamation points, write the first two lines of the poem on the board twice—once without any punctuation, and a second time as they appear on the page. Have volunteers read each version aloud. Ask the class what difference in tone they hear. (Students might say that Dickinson’s punctuation seems more passionate or urgent.)

1. Here, lest means “in order to prevent any possibility that.”



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Reading Check Summarize Remind students that both poems are about the feelings the speaker experiences as a result of adversities that are not specified. Have volunteers identify the feelings expressed in each poem. (A dispirited numbness in “After Great Pain . . .” and an urgent desire to stop thinking of the lost love in “Heart! We Will Forget Him!”) Then have students speculate as to what kinds of situations would inspire these feelings. Use information in the Build Background segment to explore possible biographical connections. Students might conclude that the “Him” in “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” refers to Dickinson’s great love spoken of in her letters. Possible biographical connections in “After Great Pain . . .” are more ambiguous, but she could be mourning the loss of a friend who died in the war.


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After You Read

After You Read



Connect to the Poems Were the feelings that were expressed in these poems familiar to you? Did you identify with the attitudes conveyed toward grief and loss? Why or why not? Review the answers you wrote down for the Connect activity on page 140. Then answer the above questions on the lines below.

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Tone

Students’ answers will vary. Many will recognize the emotional numbness of grief as a typical reaction. They _________________________________________________________________________________________________ may identify even more strongly with the urgency with which an individual wishes to put aside thoughts of a _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students have difficulty completing their charts, lead them through the questions step-by-step. Suggest that they fill in the boxes as you discuss and model answers. After students have completed their charts, review the stylistic elements Dickinson uses to create the tone of each poem, focusing on personification but also pointing out examples of word choice, punctuation, and simile.

lost or painful love. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element

Personification

Personification can take many different forms. Poets personify objects (Flowers danced in the gentle breeze), forces of nature (Bolts of lightning announced the storm’s arrival), and concepts or ideas (Truth won a hard-fought victory). Poets use personification to present ideas in a creative, memorable way. What examples of personification did you find in these two poems? What human attributes does Dickinson give these things? Write your answers on the lines below. Examples of personification: Nerves, Heart, and Feet in “After Great Pain…” and Heart in “Heart! We Will _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Forget Him!” Human attributes: In “After Great Pain…” Nerves sit ceremonious, Heart questions, and Feet go _________________________________________________________________________________________________ round mechanically. In “Heart! We Will Forget Him!,” Heart is addressed as a companion who has the ability _________________________________________________________________________________________________ to forget, speak, and lag. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Compare and Contrast Tone Share with a partner the answers you wrote down in the Reading Strategy chart on page 141. Discuss the differences between your charts. Then incorporate your partner’s insights in your chart, adding or editing the information in your chart as needed. Use your revised charts to help answer the following questions: What is the tone of each poem? What stylistic elements help convey the tone? Write your answers on the lines below. Possible answers: “After Great Pain…” conveys a dispirited, solemn tone. Dickinson uses word choice _________________________________________________________________________________________________ (ceremonious, Tombs, stiff, mechanical, Wooden, Quartz, stone, Lead, Freezing, Chill, and Stupor), _________________________________________________________________________________________________ personification (Nerves, Heart, and Feet), simile (like a stone), sentence structure (the extra line in stanza 2), _________________________________________________________________________________________________ and punctuation (dashes) to communicate the tone. “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” conveys an urgent, _________________________________________________________________________________________________ pleading tone, communicated through word choice (forget, tonight, pray, straight, and Haste), personification _________________________________________________________________________________________________ (Heart), and punctuation (exclamation points and dashes). _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Using Pronouns Correctly Prepare students to complete the activity on page A22. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read

After You Read



Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Circle the answer that best states the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary word in each sentence.

Academic Vocabulary

1. The eulogy was given in a ceremonious manner befitting the occasion. a lacking seriousness

c observant of formalities

b casually indifferent

d cleverly satirical

Write the following sentence on the board: The speaker in “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” does not restrain her emotions when she addresses her heart.

2. The child could not recollect where she had put her favorite toy. a explain

c remember

b divulge

d reveal

Explain that restrain is an academic word. When you restrain someone or something, you prevent them or it from doing something. Ask: What synonyms can you think of for restrain? (limit, hinder, restrict, curb, control, bottle up, check, inhibit) Ask: What antonyms can you think of for restrain? (loosen, unbind, free up, release, encourage)

3. A shattering personal tragedy would leave most people in a stupor. a an angry state

c a optimistic frame of mind

b a happy mood

d a dazed condition

4. The discouraged candidate was aware that he was lagging in the polls. a falling behind

c making gains

b leading decisively

d performing miserably

Call on volunteers to use restrain in a sentence.

B. Antonyms On the line after each sentence, write the letter of the word that is an antonym for the boldfaced vocabulary word. 1. Ticket sales for this season have lagged compared to last year. _________ a escalated

c stabilized

b decreased

d exceeded expectations

2. The Veterans Day memorial service was a ceremonious affair. _________ a splendid

c solemn

b controversial

d disrespectful

3. The woman couldn’t recollect the details of her nightmare. ____________ a recall

c believe

b forget

d contemplate

4. When the patient took the strong medicine, he fell into a stupor. ________ a coma

c frenzy

b state of confusion

d restful sleep



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Writing Link Paragraph Ask students to select one example of personification from either poem that appeals to them. Have them write a brief paragraph in which they explain how Dickinson makes use of the example they have chosen. In the paragraph they should identify the object being personified, describe in what way it is given human attributes, and explain how the personification relates to the feelings expressed in the poem. To help them get started, instruct them to begin their paragraphs in the following way: Emily Dickinson uses personification effectively to communicate deep feelings. One example of personification from ________ (name of poem) is ________ (personified object).


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After You Read


After You Read


Pro-and-Con Chart The chart below provides an opportunity for you to express your own opinions about the poems you have just studied. It contains statements for you to complete. Statements in the first column should be completed with opinions that support some aspect of either or both of the poems. Statements in the second column should be completed with opinions that criticize some aspect of either or both of the poems. Complete each statement for which you hold an honest opinion. If you disagree with or have no opinion about a statement, leave it blank. After finishing the chart, share your opinions in a class discussion. Students’ responses will vary. Use the class discussion as a final review of the ideas and tone of each poem and to resolve any questions or confusions concerning the subject matter and Dickinson’s style. Pro

Con

numbness “After Great Pain…” The tone of ______________ in _________________

Dickinson could have presented her ideas in

is appropriate for a poem about loss _______________

“After Great Pain…” _______________________ more convincingly if she

after a great loss, one sometimes because ______________________________________

had not rhymed ________________.

feels numb ______________________________________________. I can understand and sympathize with the

I was not able to sympathize with the feelings

We Will Forget Him!” expressed in “After Great Pain…” feelings expressed in “Heart! __________________________ _____________________ because have wanted to forget a painful love because I______________________________________

I______________________________________________ have never experienced a loss that has left

numb ______________________________________________. me ______________________________________________. I responded more favorably to the feelings

I responded less favorably to the feelings

“Heart! We Will Forget Him!” “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” expressed in __________________________________ expressed in _________________________________ I enjoy the more impassioned tone because ______________________________________

that is not what I would do in that because ______________________________________

______________________________________________. situation ______________________________________________. Dickinson’s use of personification ________________ in

exclamation points Dickinson’s use of _____________________________

“After Great Pain…” _____________________________was a particularly

“Heart! We Will Forget Him!” in ____________________________ was a confusing

gave the seemed overused effective stylistic element because it ____________ stylistic element because it ____________________ poem an isolated, fractured feeling ______________________________________________. ______________________________________________.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 147–154 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing metaphor and simile. Reading: Previewing and reviewing.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Poem Explain that the author of “I Am Offering This Poem” has also written novels, screenplays, a memoir, and short stories as well as other poems. He did not learn to read or write until he was an adult, but he now presents writing workshops to children and adults all over the country. Ask: Do you think that Baca’s teaching himself to read or write as an adult affected him as an author? If so, how? (Students will most likely say that Baca had thoughts and ideas bottled up for many years before he learned to write them, so that may be why he has written so much and why he has tried so many forms of writing. He probably gives writing workshops because he is passionate about helping others to express themselves as he could not for so long.)

i am offering this poem

by Jimmy Santiago Baca

I Am Offering This Poem

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Literary Element • Metaphor and Simile

Writing Link • Letter

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Connotation and Denotation

Reading Strategy • Preview and Review

Fluency • Pacing: Meaningful Phrases



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Before You Read

Before You Read


Connect to the Poem In the poem you are about to read, the speaker has few possessions and can give little to others. The speaker believes, however, that the poem he or she is offering is a precious gift that can feed the body and the spirit.

Connect to the Poem Pair students. Ask them to compare their answers and discuss them briefly. Then ask for a show of hands: how many students preferred tangible gifts, and how many preferred intangible ones such as the gift of love or a poem? If you wish, have students close their eyes as they raise their hands to prevent them from being influenced by classmates’ responses.

Though unable to give a tangible gift, the speaker offers something else: love. Would you be content with such a gift, or would you prefer one that you can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste? Complete the sentences below with your thoughts on the advantages of both types of gift.

a gift of love can’t be ruined or worn out A gift of love is valuable to me because __________________________________________________________ . tangible gifts are practical and useful I would prefer tangible gifts because ____________________________________________________________ .

Build Background

Build Background

Read the Build Background note with students. Ask students to paraphrase the quotation in the third bullet point. (Possible answer: Words became more real to Baca than his surroundings.) Ask: What do you think Baca means by this? (Once he learned to read and write, he got so involved in those activities that he was able to forget that he was trapped in a prison.)

•

American poet Jimmy Santiago Baca did not learn to read or write until he was twenty-one.

•

He taught himself to read while serving a five-year sentence in a maximumsecurity prison.

•

Baca explains, “In a place like prison where all sensory enjoyment was deprived, language became more real, more tangible than bars or concrete.”

•

Baca has Chicano and Apache heritage. In the poem you are about to read, he uses the term hogan, which is a traditional Native American structure. It is a windowless building that has a fire in the center and a hole in the roof for the smoke to pass through.

Think about what you have just read here and in the “Connect to the Poem” section. Now, on the lines below, write down your thoughts on how Baca’s environment may have affected his poetry.

Set Purposes for Reading Ask volunteers to describe a time in which they experienced the positive effects that words can have. (Students may say that they used words to settle a conflict to express appreciation for someone.)

Possible answer: Baca discovered that he could create a love poem even in a grim and desolate environment ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ where he did not have many possessions. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading As you read, think about the power that words can have. How would you express your love to someone if you had nothing to give that person except words?

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Metaphor and Simile

You can compare two things by using a simile or a metaphor. A simile is a figure of speech that connects two dissimilar objects or ideas using the words like or as. A metaphor does the same thing, but without the words like or as. “My sister screeched like an express train” is a simile; “My sister was a tornado of anger” is a metaphor. In the next two minutes, think of a simile and a metaphor about the shoes you are wearing. Write each on the lines below.

Literary Element Metaphor and Simile

Possible answers: My shoes are as dusty as a desert; my shoes are colorful peacocks. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Preview and Review

Have students complete the activity and share some of the examples they created. Discuss why it might be better to use metaphors in some cases and similes in others. (Metaphors are often more powerful, but they can be confusing. Similes are easier to understand. Both can make writing livelier and more expressive.)

Previewing is looking over a selection before you read it to see what you already know and what you need to find out. Reviewing is going over what you have already read to remember important points. •

When previewing a poem, ask yourself questions like these: How is the poem arranged on the page? Are certain words or phrases repeated? If so, why might they be important?

•

When reviewing a poem, ask yourself questions like these: What is the main idea of this poem? Who is the speaker of the poem? Do I understand all the words in it? If I don’t, should I check a dictionary or ask for help?

Reading Strategy Review and Preview

Vocabulary Connotation and Denotation When you look up a word in the dictionary, you find its denotation, which means its literal meaning. Words also have connotations, which are unspoken or unwritten meanings associated with them that go beyond their literal meanings. Connotations may be positive, negative, or neutral. Read the vocabulary words and definitions in the side column aloud. Then complete the connotation chart below, supplying at least one word for each space. Some answers have already been completed for you.

Vocabulary mature (mə choorʼ) adj. having reached a desired state

Ask students to explain why previewing and reviewing text can be helpful. (Possible answers: Previewing and reviewing helps you understand material better, remember information for a test, and figure out how all the pieces of a text are related.)

dense (dens) adj. thick

Positive

Neutral

Negative

fragrance, scent

smell

odor, stink, stench

mature, experienced

aged

old

compact

dense

crowded



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: Something that is dense is thick, compact, or crowded. Example: The woods were dense with trees, which made it difficult for Hansel and Gretel to find their way home. Ask: What are some other examples of objects or places that are dense? EXAMPLE

Something or someone that is mature is fullgrown or fully developed. The forest was full of mature trees; some were forty feet tall and had been growing for decades.

If someone called your behavior mature, would that be a compliment? DESCRIPTION


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i am offering this poem Literary Element Metaphor and Simile In lines 1–10, underline at least one simile and circle one metaphor. How do these affect the message of the poem?

5

Possible answer: They make _______________________________

Literary Element Metaphor and Simile Ask students to restate one of the examples they found without using a simile or a metaphor. (Possible answer: I want this poem to comfort you.) Ask: Why do you think the poet chose to use similes and metaphors instead of stating his feelings more directly? (Possible answer: Similes and metaphors make the poem richer and give the reader images to visualize.)

the poem more vivid and make _______________________________ the speaker’s feelings clear—he _______________________________

10

or she wants the loved one to _______________________________ be protected, comforted, and _______________________________ 15

nourished. _______________________________

Vocabulary

I am offering this poem to you, since I have nothing else to give. Keep it like a warm coat when winter comes to cover you, or like a pair of thick socks the cold cannot bite through, I love you, I have nothing else to give you, so it is a pot full of yellow corn to warm your belly in winter, it is a scarf for your head, to wear over your hair, to tie up around your face, I love you, Keep it, treasure this as you would if you were lost, needing direction, in the wilderness life becomes when mature; and in the corner of your drawer, tucked away like a cabin or hogan in dense trees, come knocking,

mature (mə choorˊ) adj. having reached a desired state

Vocabulary dense (dens) adj. thick


If students are having difficulty, have pairs reread lines 1–13 and look for words of more than two syllables. Point out that most of the words are short, only one or two syllables long, so it is fair to say that the language in these lines is relatively simple.

Discuss lines 1–13 with a partner. Is the language in these lines simple or complicated? How does the language affect the poet’s message?

Possible answer: The poet’s ____________________________ simple words make the ____________________________ message direct, heartfelt, ____________________________ and easy to understand. ____________________________

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Fluency Pacing: Meaningful Phrases Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on reading the passage ahead of time to decide where they will pause, so that the phrases have meaning. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo, and give students time to read the passage silently. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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I Am Offering This Poem 20

25

30

and I will answer, give you directions, and let you warm yourself by this fire, rest by this fire, and make you feel safe, I love you, It’s all I have to give, and all anyone needs to live, and to go on living inside, when the world outside no longer cares if you live or die; remember, I love you.

Vocabulary Skill Connotation and Denotation Think of words that mean the same thing as mature and that also have positive connotations. Write at least two of these on the lines below.


Possible answers: experienced, ______________________________ grown up, seasoned, vintage, ______________________________ advanced, full-grown, ripe ______________________________

Vocabulary Skill Connotation and Denotation Reading Strategy Preview and Review Reread lines 24 and 25. How do these change the overall meaning of the poem?

Not only is the poem a source _______________________________ of comfort (as described in the _______________________________ earlier lines), it is also the only _______________________________

If students are having difficulty: Model I know lots of words that have the same dictionary meaning as mature, but some of them have negative connotations. I wouldn’t want to use the word old in some situations because people might think I meant “outdated” or “broken-down.” If I use the word mature or experienced, people will know that I am talking about aging in a positive way.

essential thing in life. _______________________________

READING CHECK

_______________________________ _______________________________

Summarize State the main idea of the poem in your own words.

_______________________________

Reading Strategy Preview and Review Discuss whether students agree that this poem is “all anyone needs to live.” (Possible answers: Yes—The poem represents love, which is essential to living. No—Love is nice, but people need food, clothing, and shelter more.)

Possible answer: I have nothing to give you except this ______________________________________________________ poem. I want the poem to comfort you. This poem is all you ______________________________________________________ need because even if the world seems cold or scary, you will ______________________________________________________ know that I love you. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Summarize Using responses from volunteers, create the class’s summary on the chalkboard or on an overhead projector. Ask: Does this summary include all the parts of the poem? Are there any words or phrases we could change to make it a more accurate summary?


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After You Read


After You Read

Connect to the Poem Go back to the Connect to the Poem activity that you completed on page 148. Do you think the speaker of the poem you just read would agree with your opinion? Why or why not? Use examples from the poem to support your answer.

Connect to the Poem

Answers should indicate that the speaker in the poem values intangible gifts more than tangible ones. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students are having difficulty discerning the poet’s opinion, Ask: Where does the speaker state his or her opinion of the importance of the poem? (lines 24–25, “It’s . . . all anyone needs to live”) Why does the speaker believe the poem is important? (It expresses love, which is what people need “to go on living”)

Not only is the poem comforting “like a warm coat” and nourishing like “a pot full of yellow corn,” it is “all _________________________________________________________________________________________________ anyone needs to live.” _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element

Metaphor and Simile

Baca uses similes and metaphors throughout this poem to describe the speaker’s love and concern. Think about how these figures of speech make the poem more powerful. Then fill out the chart below. Figure of Speech

Simile or Metaphor?

Reason It Is Powerful

“like a warm coat”

simile

The speaker wants to comfort and protect the loved one.

“in the wilderness life becomes when mature”

metaphor

The speaker understands that life can seem scary when a person gets older.

“tucked away like a cabin or hogan”

simile

The speaker compares the poem to a cozy place of refuge.

Reading Strategy Preview and Review Look back at the Reading Strategy section on page 149. Think about what you learned by previewing and reviewing this poem. Complete the sentences below. is a love poem that had a repeated refrain of “I love you.” It has When I previewed the poem, I found out it ______________________________________________________________ four stanzas and the lines are mostly the same length. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ speaker of the poem is a poor poet who values love above When I reviewed the poem, I remembered that the _________________________________________________________ tangible objects. He or she wishes to offer the person to whom he or she is offering the poem love, comfort, _________________________________________________________________________________________________ and shelter. Baca uses metaphors and similes to make the poem more powerful. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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After You Read


After You Read

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Look back at pages 150–151 to find context clues for the vocabulary words below. Record your findings in the charts. The first one has been completed for you. Check your answers in a dictionary if you need to. Word: wilderness

Meaning: full grown, fully developed

Meaning: thick ▲

▲

Textual Clues: The poem describes a cabin “tucked away . . . in dense trees.” I think this means the trees are close together.

▲

▲

Word: dense

Textual Clues: The speaker talks about “the wilderness life becomes when mature.”

Meaning: a place where nobody lives ▲

▲

Word: mature

Textual Clues: The poem mentions being lost and needing direction in the wilderness. The word “wild” is part of this word.

B. Connotation and Denotation Remember that a word’s denotation is its dictionary definition. A word’s connotation is the thoughts and feelings associated with that word—positive, neutral, or negative. Read the pairs of words below and explain whether each word has a positive, negative, or neutral connotation. Give reasons for your answers. 1. wilderness

wasteland

“Wasteland” has a more negative connotation than “wilderness” because “wasteland” sounds like a place __________________________________________________________________________________________ where nothing useful can grow. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. mature

ripe

old

Students may say that “ripe” is positive, “mature” is positive or neutral, and “old” is negative. Accept __________________________________________________________________________________________ all reasonable responses. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. dense

lush

Students may say that “dense” is negative or neutral and “lush” is positive. Accept all reasonable __________________________________________________________________________________________ responses. __________________________________________________________________________________________ I Am Offering This Poem


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Writing Link Letter Have students think about a gift they received from someone, recently or in the past, for which they are thankful. The gift can be a material item or an intangible item (such as help with a project or advice about a problem). Ask students to write a letter to the giver describing the gift and explaining why it was significant. Explain that students do not need to send the letter to the giver, but that you will be reading responses, so students should not choose gifts that they would be uncomfortable discussing with you. Check letters for coherence, grammar, usage, and mechanics. Make sure that students know the basic format of a personal letter: date, salutation, body, closing, and signature.


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After You Read

After You Read


Simile and Metaphor Charts The charts below can help you remember the difference between a simile and a metaphor. Use examples from “I Am Offering This Poem” to complete both charts. Then create your own examples of similes and metaphors. Simile

▲ Examples from the Poem “like a warm coat”

▲

“like a pair of thick socks” “tucked away like a cabin or hogan / in dense trees”

▲

Dictionary Definition a comparison that uses “like” or “as”

Examples I Created as nervous as a six-year-old at the dentist’s office comforting, like a bowl of soup on a cold day

Metaphor

▲ Examples from the Poem “it is a pot full of yellow corn / to warm your belly in winter”

▲

“it is a scarf for your head” “the wilderness life becomes when mature”

▲

Dictionary Definition a comparison that does not use “like” or “as”

Examples I Created a whirlwind of confusion the warm sunlight of the coach’s approval a fortress of confidence

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 155–162 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing repetition. Reading: Drawing conclusions about meaning.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Poem Tell students that they will read a poem, “Horses Graze,” by Gwendolyn Brooks. Brooks grew up on Chicago’s South Side. Her parents had little money, but they both loved literature and encouraged their children to succeed. Brooks began writing poems at the age of seven, and had completed seventy-five poems by the age of sixteen. Her poems often focused on the dreams and anguish of urban African Americans facing racism.

Horses Graze

Tell students that the simple title of the poem provides a clue about its meaning. Explain that Brooks had very clear ideas about horses and cows that some readers might find surprising. Ask: Have you ever thought that you could learn something from a pet or other animal? (Students might say that they had a dog or cat that was very loyal or affectionate and that this was a quality they admired.)

by Gwendolyn Brooks

Horses Graze

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Literary Element • Repetition

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Word Usage

Reading Strategy • Draw Conclusions about Meaning

Writing Link • Song


Horses Graze

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Before You Read

Before You Read

Horses Graze

Connect to the Poem What comes to your mind when you think about horses and cows? What words would you use to describe them? Fill in the word web below with your thoughts about cows and horses. Use your imagination. Expand the web by adding more circles if you need more space.

Connect to the Poem Have students fill in the word web. Encourage them to be creative and remind them that there are no correct answers. Then have them discuss what they wrote with a partner or in small groups. Encourage them to talk about how they formed their ideas and opinions about horses and cows, for example from books, movies, or first-hand experience.

Cows and Horses

Build Background Read the Build Background note with students. Make sure they understand what cave paintings are and how this shows that horses and cows have played important roles for humans all the way back to the Ice Age.

Build Background As you read the following information, underline the facts that you think are the most important.

Set Purposes for Reading Have students work in pairs to come up with more purposes for reading. Tell them that, as they read, they should pay close attention to ways in which the animals might share traits with humans.

•

Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for poetry.

•

Many of her poems are based on people who lived in her neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.

•

The title of this poem refers to the way horses—and cows—eat grass and other plants growing in the field.

•

Horses and cows are hoofed, plant-eating mammals.

•

Wild horses and cows appear in cave paintings from the Ice Age.

•

For thousands of years, horses and cows have been domesticated, or tamed and adapted to live with people.

•

Humans have used horses in warfare, for farming, and for transportation.

•

Humans have raised cows for their milk, meat, and hides.

Set Purposes for Reading In this poem, Gwendolyn Brooks gives her impressions of cows and horses. Read to find out what she thinks we can learn about life by observing the animals around us.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Repetition

Repetition is a literary device in which sounds, words, and phrases are repeated. Writers use repetition to call attention to important ideas or to create rhythm. Repetition can also increase the unity of a work. Read the poem aloud with a partner. Notice the examples of repetition as you read. Discuss what ideas or points you think Brooks is trying to emphasize through repetition.

Literary Element Repetition

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning When you draw a conclusion, you use several pieces of information to make a general statement about people, places, events, and ideas. Drawing conclusions can help you understand an author’s meaning. To draw conclusions, you need to pay attention to the details in the author’s work. Then use those details to make a general statement about what you think the author is trying to say. As you read, use the chart below to record three important details from the poem. The first detail has been completed for you. Leave the Conclusion rectangle blank until later. Detail possible detail: They ignore human follies.

Detail possible detail: They love the world.

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions about Meaning Tell students that drawing a conclusion about someone or something helps them to see the bigger picture. Read one detail aloud from the poem, for example, “with wonderful gentleness.” Ask: Why are details such as this helpful in drawing a conclusion? (Students might say that when you put these details together you get an idea of what the writer is saying.)

▲

▲

Detail Cows and horses graze unaware.

Tell students that as they read they should look for the repetition of sounds, not just words. Point out the repeated bl sound in “nobly oblivious.” Urge them to be aware of how the repetition in this poem draws their attention to what the writer is trying to say.

▲

My Conclusion About Meaning Possible conclusion: Animals are wiser than people in some ways.

Vocabulary

Usage

One way to understand the meaning of a new word is to think about its part of speech and how that part of speech is used in sentences. Look at the definitions and parts of speech for the words in the minor column of this page. Say each word aloud. Then complete the sentences below with the correct word. Read each sentence carefully to understand how each word is used.

Vocabulary oblivion (ə bliʼ v ən) n. a lack of awareness or memory crest (krest) n. a peak or high point affirmation (a fər mʼ shən) n. a positive statement or confirmation

oblivion about the She seemed to be in a state of ___________ upcoming exam. crest The high-jumper was at the ___________ of her career when she injured her knee. affirmation of all participants before The contract only required the ___________ it was finalized.

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: When someone is in a state of oblivion, he or she is lacking awareness or memory. Example: Bailey’s oblivion about her unkind remarks nearly made her lose her friends. Ask: When was a time that you experienced oblivion?

A crest is a peak, as on a mountain, or a high point, as in someone’s life. If the rain did not stop, the river could reach its crest and flood its banks. Describe a time in your life when it felt like you had reached a crest. DESCRIPTION

A person who has made an agreement with another has made an affirmation. Judd made an affirmation to the coach not to skip practice for the rest of the season. How is an oath similar to an affirmation? How is it different? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

EXAMPLE

Horses Graze

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Horses Graze

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Repetition Point out to students that one reason writers use repetition is to emphasize an important point. Write the lines from the poem on the board: Model When I hear the words “eat/eat/eat”, I see the animals grazing in a field, barely raising their heads. Ask: Why do you think Brooks repeats the words “eat” and “bowed”? (to show how focused the animals are on what they are doing)

Horses Graze Literary Element Repetition What does the repetition of eat and bowed say about the animals in the poem? Why do you think Brooks is drawing attention to these words? Check the box next to the best answer. ✓ The words help to stress the ■ steady focus of the horses and cows. The words show that the ■ animals are hungry and in competition with each other for food. ■ The poet is mostly trying to create rhythm with her words.

5

10

15

20

Read and Discuss Read this section aloud with a partner. Reread the definition for the vocabulary word, affirmation. Then discuss with your partner what you think these lines tell you about the animals. What are they affirming? Write your response on the lines below.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk Write the lines from the poem on the board. Have a volunteer define the word affirmation: Model When I read these lines I feel rather envious of the animals. Ask: Why do you think people might be envious of the animals? (because the animals seem very content and at peace but people often are not at peace or happy where they’re at) Talk with your partner about why you think the animals seem so content. Why are they in affirmation? (They feel positive about everything around them, their companions and the world. They are satisfied with what they have.)

25

Cows graze. Horses graze. They eat eat eat. Their graceful heads are bowed bowed bowed in majestic1 oblivion. They are nobly oblivious to your follies, your inflation,2 the knocks and nettles3 of administration. They eat eat eat. And at the crest of their brute satisfaction, with wonderful gentleness, in affirmation, they lift their clean calm eyes and they lie down and love the world. They speak with their companions. They do not wish that they were otherwhere. Perhaps they know that creature feet may press only a few earth inches at a time, that earth is anywhere earth, that an eye may see,

Possible response: The ____________________________ animals affirm their love for ____________________________ their world. ____________________________

1. Here, majestic means “a quality of dignified greatness.” 2. Inflation is an economic term for rising prices. It can also mean “self-importance.” 3. A knock is a sharp blow. A nettle is a plant that releases a substance that irritates the skin. It can also mean anything that irritates.

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Horses Graze

Horses Graze 30

35

wherever it may be, the Immediate arc, alone, of life, of love. In Sweden, China, Afrika, in India or Maine the animals are sane; they know and know and know there’s ground below and sky up high.

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning What do the details on this page tell you about the meaning of the poem? Write your response on the lines below.

Possible response: Animals _______________________________ are sane because they know _______________________________ their place in the world and are _______________________________ content. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions about Meaning Write the lines from the poem on the board: Model When I first read this I wondered why the writer described the animals as “sane.” I never thought of animals in that way, only people. Ask: How do the details in the next two lines explain what the author meant by saying animals are sane? Write your answer on the line below. (They show that the animals really know where they belong and this maybe quiets their minds and keeps them from running around like crazy, looking for some other place that’s better.)

READING CHECK Clarify What does the speaker mean by saying in line 25 that the animals “do not wish that they were otherwhere”? Possible answer: The animals do not feel like they need to ______________________________________________________ be somewhere else because they are content where they ______________________________________________________ are. They appreciate what they have. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify Write the lines from the poem on the board: Model Sometimes I wish I could be someplace other than where I’m at, someplace more beautiful or quiet or exciting. Ask: What does the writer say about the animals in these lines? (They’re not longing to be somewhere else.) Ask: What do you think the writer is trying to tell us? (that maybe we could learn something from these animals)

Horses Graze

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After You Read

Horses Graze

After You Read

Connect to the Poem Look back at the Word Web on page 156. Add new circles to the Web, and write about any new ideas or feelings you might have about horses and cows.

Connect to the Poem

Literary Element

If students are having difficulty connecting the information from the Before You Read section to the poem, ask them the following questions.

Repetition

In a poem, repetition can stress the importance of certain words and phrases. It also can add a musical quality to the poem by creating rhythm. In the chart below, list three examples of repetition from the poem. Then explain what each example added to the poem. Ask yourself if the repetition added to the overall meaning of the poem.

• Why do you think Brooks chose such a simple title for this poem? (Because the animals live a very simple life.)

Example of Repetition

• How do you think Brooks felt about living a simple life? (That it was good because the animals seemed content to just be alive, with their companions wherever they happened to be.) • Do you think Brooks was comparing the animals to humans? Why or why not? (Yes. People are always looking for something better. Brooks seemed to be telling us to look at the animals. See what makes them calm and happy.)

How it Adds to the Poem

possible examples: (1) lines 1–6, repetition of “graze” and “eat”

possible responses: (1) creates impression of animals constant eating

(2) lines 8–10, repetition of “bowed”

(2) emphasizes graceful posture

(3) line 37, repetition of “know”

(3) emphasizes animals’ wisdom

Reading Strategy Draw Conclusions About Meaning When writers do not directly state the meaning of a work, you need to examine details to help you come to your own conclusion. Look back over the Reading Strategy Chart you made on page 157. Reread the important details you entered in the chart. What conclusion about the poem can you draw from those details? Fill in the “My Conclusion” part of the chart.

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After You Read

After You Read

Horses Graze

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Circle the letter of the answer that best fits the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary word in each sentence. 1. During the vacation, they enjoyed a pleasant oblivion about work. a enthusiasm

c forgetfulness

b fearfulness

d awareness

2. It took a hard morning’s climb to reach the crest of the mountain. a top

c side

b base

d shape

3. The witness’s affirmation of his alibi helped him prove his innocence. a denial

c study

b grasp

d confirmation

B. Word Usage Respond to these statements to help you explore the meanings of vocabulary words from the selection. Write your responses on the lines below. 1. Recall a time when you found yourself in a state of oblivion. Possible response: Last year I was in a state of oblivion about my need to find a summer job. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Identify something that might cause problems if it reached a crest. Possible response: An increase in global warming might cause a problem if it reached a crest. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Explain one way a person might show affirmation. Possible response: An immigrant might show affirmation of American values in taking the oath to __________________________________________________________________________________________ become a U.S. citizen. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Horses Graze


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Writing Link Song Read Brooks’s quote about music aloud: “If you love songs and rap, you love poetry.” Point out to students that poems and songs have a lot in common. Repetition is one element they have in common. Tell students that, like poets, rap and other pop musicians use repetition to add rhythm and meaning to their songs. Have students work in small groups to write the lyrics, or words, for a rap song about animals. Remind them that the song should have a message that is important to them. Have groups perform the songs in front of the class. An effective song should • present a message about animals • use repetition to add rhythm and meaning

Horses Graze

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After You Read

Horses Graze

After You Read

Word Web A word web can help you to picture what an author is trying to say in a literary work. Reread the poem, noticing how Brooks described horses and cows. Then, in your own words, fill in each oval in the web below with a quality or characteristic Brooks used to describe the animals. One oval has been filled in for you. When you have completed your word web, use the sentence frame below to sum up what you see as the speaker’s essential view of animals.

response: completely satisfied in being what they are The speaker sees animals as possible _______________________________________________________________________.

noble

graceful

oblivious Animals

gentle

satisfied

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 163–168 In studying the following text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing alliteration. Reading: Analyzing sensory details.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Poem Tell students that “Miss Rosie” is a poem written by Lucille Clifton. Explain that Miss Rosie is the name of the woman Clifton writes about in the poem. Miss Rosie’s life has been hard. Tell students that Clifton helps her readers see how Miss Rosie’s hard life has damaged her by describing her so clearly. She also describes what Miss Rosie was like before her troubles began.

Miss Rosie

Tell them that Clifton often writes about very ordinary people and things in her poems. Explain that she grew up during the Great Depression in New York. Her father worked in a steel mill, and her mother worked in a laundry. Her mother was also a poet, and both parents valued a good education. Ask: How do you think Clifton’s own background might have influenced her work as a writer? (Students might say that growing up during hard economic times made her sensitive to the suffering of others.)

by Lucille Clifton

Miss Rosie

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Literary Element • Alliteration

Vocabulary • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Analyze Sensory Details

Writing Link • Sentences Expressing Connotations BLM Grammar Link • Pronouns and Antecedents BLM


Miss Rosie

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Before You Read

Miss Rosie

Before You Read

Connect to the Poem

Before you read the poem, think about the clues you use to judge someone. What makes you decide whether or not you think you will like someone when you first meet? Respond to the following statements by circling your answer. Discuss your responses with a partner.

Connect to the Poem Have students respond to the anticipation guide. Then have them discuss their answers with a partner. Remind them that a person’s identity is how they are on the inside. Tell them to think about how they personally judge people they meet as they respond to the three statements.

1. A person’s physical appearance is just as important as what is on the inside. agree

disagree

not sure

2. You can tell a person’s true identity by how they dress and talk. agree

disagree

not sure

3. Once you decide what someone is really like, you probably should not change your opinion. agree

Build Background

disagree

not sure

Build Background

Read the Build Background note with students. Tell them that Clifton writes with compassion about people who could not always change the hard circumstances of their lives.

•

Lucille Clifton’s poems show how complex life can be. They often focus on the struggles of people who live in the inner city.

•

Clifton’s own family history as an African American was tragic. This helped her to write about life’s painful experiences. She also offers hope about our ability to survive and overcome.

•

In her poems, Clifton examines the roles we have in life. We play roles as a friend, employee, or volunteer. Some roles are chosen, and some are not. We cannot choose our parents, for example, or where we are born.


•

Clifton shows how our identities change as our roles change. In the poem, poverty has given Miss Rosie a new identity.

Have students work with a partner to develop a list of more purposes for reading. Ask them what more they would like to learn about Clifton’s feelings about her characters. Tell them to notice ways the poet reveals Miss Rosie.

Without rereading the above information, write down the main idea in your own words on the lines below. Possible main idea: Clifton’s own difficult history helped her to understand and write about other people’s ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ struggles in life. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading In this poem, the author Lucille Clifton vividly describes the physical appearance of someone she knows very well. As you read the poem, notice how Miss Rosie’s identity has changed over time.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Alliteration

Alliteration refers to the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. The third line of “Miss Rosie” is an example of alliteration because it repeats the s sound. “sitting surrounded by the smell” Alliteration can stress the meaning of certain words and give the poem rhythm. It can help you picture what an author is trying to say. With a partner, take turns reading the poem aloud. Underline the repeated consonant sounds, and discuss with your partner ways in which Clifton’s use of alliteration affects the poem.

Literary Element Alliteration Ask a volunteer to explain what alliteration is. Show an example of alliteration by writing one or two lines from the poem on the board. Ask: Why do you think a writer would choose to use alliteration? (Students might say that a writer uses it to create rhythm with sounds or to draw attention to meaning.)

Reading Strategy Analyze Sensory Details Sensory details are words that appeal to a reader’s senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing, and smell. These details stir memories of these senses in the reader. This helps a reader picture what is being described. It also helps the reader connect to a literary work, like a poem. As you read, ask yourself what sensory details Clifton is using and the sense (or senses) they affect. Then use the chart below to record the sensory details in the poem and the senses they appeal to. One detail has been filled in for you. Sensory Detail

“wrapped up like garbage”

Reading Strategy Analyze Sensory Details

Sense(s)

sight, smell

Ask students to offer an example of a sensory detail from the poem. Ask them how a detail like this affects their understanding of a poem or story. (Students might say that it helps them to picture things better or to bring back a memory of how something smelled. This helps them to feel more keenly what the poem is about.)

Miss Rosie


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Miss Rosie

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Miss Rosie

Miss Rosie

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyzing Sensory Details If students have trouble: Model Based on what the speaker tells me, I could see Miss Rosie and smell her surroundings. Therefore, the two senses are sight and smell. Ask: How do these sensory details make you feel? (They are unpleasant and make me feel sad for Miss Rosie because she must be wet and cold. I also worry about what might happen to her.)

Reading Strategy Analyze Sensory Details To what senses are the details in lines 1–4 directed? What is the overall effect of these sensory details? Write your answers on the lines below.

Possible answers: These details _______________________________ are directed to the senses of _______________________________

10

sight and smell. The overall _______________________________ effect is unpleasant, sad, and a _______________________________ bit alarming. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

15

_______________________________

Literary Element Alliteration If students have trouble, have them review the definition of alliteration. Ask: What initial consonant sounds are repeated in these lines? (w and b)

5

when i watch you wrapped up like garbage sitting, surrounded by the smell of too old potato peels or when i watch you in your old man’s shoes with the little toe cut out sitting, waiting for your mind like next week’s grocery i say when i watch you you wet brown bag of a woman who used to be the best looking gal in georgia used to be called the Georgia Rose i stand up through your destruction i stand up

Literary Element Alliteration How are lines 12–13 an example of alliteration? Write your answer on the line below.

w and b sounds are The _______________________________ repeated. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

READING CHECK Predict How do you think the speaker in this poem will handle problems in her own life? What cue helps you to make this prediction? Write your answers on the lines below. Possible answer: The speaker will face problems with ______________________________________________________ determination to overcome them. The cue is the repeated ______________________________________________________ phrase, “I stand up.” ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Predict If students are having difficulty, write the words “I stand up” on the board. Remind them that the speaker of the poem is the one who says this. Ask: What do these words tell you about how the speaker might handle her own problems? (She sounds like someone who is kind of fierce, who will face her problems head on.)

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After You Read

Connect to the Poem

Miss Rosie

After You Read

Review your answers to the statements on page 164. How has your reading of the poem affected your opinions? Write your response on the lines below.

Connect to the Poem

Possible response: I feel a bit different about these statements. A person’s appearance can change so much _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students are having difficulty connecting the statements from the Before You Read section to the selection, ask them the following questions:

that it’s hard to say what relation it has to their true identity. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Why do you think Miss Rosie was once called “the Georgia Rose”? (She was once one of the prettiest women in Georgia.)

Literary Element Alliteration Alliteration is one way that poets can emphasize both sound and meaning. What effect does Clifton’s use of alliteration have in this poem? Write your answer on the lines below.

• Why do you think Clifton felt it was important to give the reader that information? (She probably wanted to show how being poor affected Miss Rosie over time.)

Possible answer: She uses alliteration and sensory details in the same lines. This emphasizes the sensory _________________________________________________________________________________________________ details. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Sensory Details Look back at the Reading Strategy chart you created on page 165. Reread the list of sensory details used by Clifton to describe Miss Rosie. What is the overall effect on you of Clifton’s description of Miss Rosie? Write your answer using the sentence frame below. Possible response: to make me more aware of how age The overall effect of Clifton’s description of Miss Rosie is __________________________________________________ and poverty can destroy a person. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Miss Rosie


Grammar Link

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BLM

Pronouns and Antecedents Prepare students to complete the activity on page A23. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

Miss Rosie

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After You Read

After You Read

Conclusion Chart

Miss Rosie

When you draw a conclusion, you use several pieces of information to make a general statement about people, places, events, and ideas. Drawing conclusions can help you understand an author’s meaning. To draw conclusions, you need to pay attention to the details in the author’s work. Then use those details to make a general statement about what you think the author is trying to say. Use the chart below to organize the details Clifton provides about Miss Rosie today and Miss Rosie long ago. Then use these details to draw a conclusion about the meaning of the poem.

Academic Vocabulary Share the following sentence with students. Rosie’s current condition arouses intense feelings in the speaker, which are conveyed most forcefully in the poem’s final lines.

Miss Rosie today Details Possible details: wrapped up like garbage surrounded by the smell of too old potato peels in your old man’s shoes with the little toe cut out waiting for your mind like next week’s grocery

Inform students that intense is an academic word. Encourage students to discuss ways in which intensity can be created in poetry, as well as other forms of literature, media, and art they are familiar with, such as movies and comic books. Students might discuss how music, lighting, and dialogue can enhance these effects.

Miss Rosie long ago Details Possible details: the best looking gal in Georgia the Georgia Rose

My conclusion Possible conclusion: Poverty and age can destroy even great beauty.

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Writing Link Sentences Expressing Connotations One of the key words in this poem is old. Old has the denotation, or literal meaning, of “having lived a long time”; however, old often has strong connotations as well. Depending on the context, these connotations can be either positive or negative. Write a sentence expressing each of the following connotations of old: • the positive sense of time-honored or traditional • the positive sense of possessing wisdom or understanding • the negative sense of overly familiar or boring • the negative sense of shabby or worn out

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 169–184, 312 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Reading: Analyzing cultural context. Analyzing informational text.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Essay Tell students that in this essay, the author Chang-rae Lee talks about his feelings of alienation and belonging as they relate to his life as an immigrant in the United States and a visitor to his native homeland, Korea. Explain to students that since this is a personal essay, it is told in the first person, using words such as “I” and “we.”

We Are Family

Explain that the essay’s title, “We Are Family,” gives readers a hint at the resolution Lee finds in his essay. Ask: What does family mean to you? Why is family important? (Students might say that a family gives one support, protection, and love, and helps one grow as an individual.)

by Chang-rae Lee

Then ask students to think about what it might be like to leave their friends, family, and home to move to a country with a completely different culture. (Most students will say they would find such a change extremely difficult.)

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169_184_G10_APP_Time.indd 169

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Essay Reading Strategy • Analyze Cultural Context


BLM Grammar Link • Making Subjects and Verbs Agree BLM


TIME: We Are Family

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Before You Read

Before You Read

We Are Family

Connect to the Essay In this personal essay, author Chang-rae Lee discusses issues of identity. What factors in your life influence your identity? Are you more sure of who you are now than you were last year? How do you think your identity will evolve as you grow older? Write your answers to these questions on the lines below.

Connect to the Essay To help students think about factors that influence a person’s identity, have them brainstorm a list of people who have influenced them and traditions that are very important to them. Ask: What about your culture would you miss if you moved away from home? (Students might say that they would miss friends, family, or cultural aspects of their home such as food, holidays, or arts.) What cultural traits would you take with you if you had to move away? (Students might say they would take celebrations, food, music, or dance with them)

Students might say that they are more sure of who they are than they were a year ago and that they expect to ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ become more mature or self-aware as they grow older. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

Explain that all these things are part of their personal identity.

•

Chang-rae Lee and his family emigrated to the United States from Korea in 1968.

•

Despite his successful career in the United States as a writer and a teacher of writing at Princeton, because of the stereotypes associated with Asian Americans, Lee feels like an outsider in the country he has called home since he was nearly three years old.

•

Lee’s unfamiliarity with Korean traditions and difficulty with the language initially make him feel that he was not truly connected to his Korean heritage.

Based on what you have just read, note on the lines below what made Chang-rae Lee feel like an outsider in both the United States and in Korea. Students might note that the inability to speak Korean and his unfamiliarity with Korean traditions make him feel ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

like an outsider in Korea. In the United States, Lee does not identify with Asian American stereotypes. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read the Build Background note with students. Help students understand that Lee’s situation is common for immigrants and their children. They often feel like outsiders in the country to which they have moved, marked by ethnic and cultural differences, but also not a part of the country and culture they left, as they might not speak its language or be familiar with its cultural practices and traditions.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading Read the following article to discover how Chang-rae Lee discovered his identification with his Korean family.

Set Purposes for Reading Have students work together to develop a list of more purposes for reading. Ask them what more they would like to know about the immigrant experience.

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Before You Read

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context When you analyze cultural context you consider the customs, beliefs, values, arts, and intellectual activities of a group of people. This knowledge is used to better understand the theme or message an author wishes to present in a piece of literature. For this selection, consider the cultural characteristics of the author’s experience in both Korea and the United States to understand the essay’s cultural context.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context

To practice analyzing cultural contexts, record facts about a culture of which you are a member—perhaps your family, your friends, or your heritage—in the web below. Note which culture you are analyzing in the central circle, perhaps “my family” or “my friends,” and in the surrounding circles write down examples of that culture’s customs, beliefs, values, arts, and intellectual activities.

Ask students to brainstorm some elements of American culture. Remind them that culture includes customs, beliefs, values, arts, foods, and intellectual and social activities of a group of people. Write students’ responses on the board. Model The Thanksgiving holiday is unique to American culture. Explain that as a Korean American, Lee lives and experiences two cultures simultaneously. Tell students that by identifying the cultural context in which Lee writes, they will be able to better understand the theme of his essay.

bowling

reading

lasagna

My Culture: my family

traveling

faith

loyalty

Note Taking This selection will guide you to take notes, which will help you to understand and remember what you read. Taking notes while you read will help you perform better on tests and use the knowledge you have gained in other settings as well. You will use the following skills in taking notes during this selection. Skill

Note Taking

Description

Reread

Look back over the page you have read

Record

Write down your answers to the questions you are given

Recap

Briefly review in your own words

Summarize

Briefly state the main points

We Are Family


Explain to students that taking notes will help them as they read this and other texts. Let students know that they can benefit from note taking even when they do not have these pages to guide them. Encourage them to write down important facts, words, characters, and events as they read, no matter what the subject matter might be.

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Read and Discuss


Read aloud Lee’s description of the gravesite. As you read, underline the details that give the site a “worn-out quality.”

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students are having difficulty identifying the imagery that denotes the “worn-out quality” of the gravesite: Ask What would make a park look worn-out to you? (Students might say litter, patchy grass, or wilting flowers.)

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context How does Lee react to his father’s behavior at the grave? How might this experience make him feel removed from Korean culture?

Lee feels both culturally and _______________________________ emotionally removed from _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context If students have difficulty responding: Model If I saw something I didn’t understand or recognize, I might feel like an outsider. This might make me feel lonely, even if I was with other people. Ask: Why might Lee be unfamiliar with the Korean custom of bowing as a sign of respect to those who have died? (He was raised in the United States.) Why does Lee not feel as sad as his father at seeing his grandfather’s grave? (Lee barely knew his grandfather.)

his grandfather, especially _______________________________ compared to his father. _______________________________ Students might mention that _______________________________ Lee, having grown up in the _______________________________

During a visit to his native South Korea, novelist Chang-rae Lee learns that living abroad and losing his language are no barriers to belonging. The last time I stood before my grandfather’s grave, in the spring of 1989, it had been newly dug. My uncle had driven my father and me to Yong-In City, one hour south of Seoul, so that we could pay our respects. I remember the fog burning off to reveal the new season bursting forth in blooms of wild cherry and persimmon all around us on the hillside. And yet, there was a worn-out quality at the site. The burial ground was a threemeter-wide amphitheater carved out of the steep face of the hillside. The fresh earth was laid bare, roughly cut roots jutting out from the sheer wall of dirt. In the center of the dugout, the mound beneath which my grandfather was buried showed the first wispy strands of baby grass. There was no headstone as yet. My father was on the verge of tears, finally seeing where his father lay. I wanted to feel the same pinch of loss, the same onrush of sadness. But I couldn’t. Our family left Korea for America when I wasn’t yet three, and since then I’d spent perhaps five hours total in my grandfather’s presence. All I knew of him was that he’d lost his hardware business in Pyongyang to the communists on the eve of the Korean War. And when my father knelt low and bowed respectfully, the image I saw of my grandfather’s face was drawn not from any

United States, is unaccustomed _______________________________ to showing respect by kneeling _______________________________ or bowing as his father does. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

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Note Taking

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City 1. Three Korean cities mentioned on this page are Yong-In ___________________________________________________ , Seoul _________________________________________ , and Pyongyang ________________________________________________ .


2. One word that I didn’t know on this page is amphitheater _____________________________________________________ . “an oval shaped space with sloping sides and a flat space in the center” It means ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Note Taking

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ .


and bow 3. I learned that Koreans kneel _______________________________________________________ as a sign of respect to their deceased family members.

4. Recap in your own words Lee’s initial reaction to his father’s tears at his grandfather’s gravesite. Students should note in their own words that Lee wanted to feel the same loss that his father was _____________________________________________________________________________________________ feeling but didn’t feel the same connection to his grandfather since he barely remembered him. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Summarize below what you’ve learned about Korea and Korean culture on this page. Encourage students to note everything they learned, such as the names of Korean cities and plants, as _____________________________________________________________________________________________ well as the occurrence of the Korean War. Tell them that writing these facts down will help to remember _____________________________________________________________________________________________ them. You can have them share their answers with a partner to see how their answers are similar and _____________________________________________________________________________________________ how they differ. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Analyze Cultural Context What does Lee learn about Korean culture from the headstone? Why does this seem so remarkable to Lee?

Lee learns that all family _______________________________ members are recorded on _______________________________ headstones in Korea. He is _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context If students are having trouble identifying what Lee learns about Korean culture, reread the text to them: Ask: What is Lee surprised to find on his grandfather’s headstone? (Chinese characters written all over the headstone.) Explain that Lee’s uncle tells him what these characters mean. Ask students to repeat in their own words what Lee’s uncle tells him the characters mean. (They are the names of all Lee’s family members, including his parents.)

surprised that his family is _______________________________ included on the headstone _______________________________ despite the fact that they no _______________________________ longer live in Korea. _______________________________ _______________________________

Read and Discuss Discuss with a partner what the listing on the headstone means to Lee. Why is it important to him?

Students might say that ____________________________


the listing is important to ____________________________

Have students work in pairs to brainstorm a list of things that make them feel that they belong to a culture. (Students might mention the Pledge of Allegiance or a secret handshake they have with a friend.)

memory of life but from the black-and-white picture of him that hung prominently in my childhood home. I pictured that image once more when I visited his grave in May 2003. I was in Korea to visit my family, particularly to see my ailing maternal grandmother, and to do some research for my next novel. I had come once again with my uncle, a professor of business, but this time with his two sons as well, one of whom was just back from a year of language study in San Diego. Our mood as we climbed up the hill was expansive and lighthearted, and it seemed we were more on a picnicking hike than a dutiful visit to our ancestral dead. But as we ascended the path to the grave, the talk quieted. Finally, at the end of a narrow deer path, there came an opening, and we emerged onto the same burial landing I had visited 14 years ago. To my surprise, there were two mounds instead of one and now a black granite headstone centered between, carved on the faces and sides with Chinese characters. I asked about the second mound and my uncle said that my grandmother and stepgrandmother had been unearthed from their resting places in Seoul and moved here some years before to join my grandfather. “What is all the writing?” I asked. We were crouched by the black slab of rock. “It’s your grandfather’s name. Your grandmothers’ names are here,” he said, pointing them out. “And what about all these other characters?” “These are his children. Here’s your father. Here are your other uncles, then me, and your aunt. And here are the names of our spouses. This one is your mother’s.” “My mother’s?” I touched the unfamiliar language sharply carved into the stone, almost saying her name aloud. She died a few years after my grandfather did, of stomach cancer. “I didn’t know it was done this way.” “Oh yes,” my uncle said. “Everyone is here.”

Lee because it makes him ____________________________ feel a sense of belonging ____________________________ to something. This is ____________________________ important to Lee because ____________________________ he has felt like an outsider ____________________________

Learning to Belong I kept thinking back on that phrase during the rest of my stay in Seoul: Everyone is here. As uttered by my uncle, it was a simple answer to a simple question, a matter of fact and a literal record. And so it was. And yet, as I thought about the notion, it became more than just a straightforward record of my

for most of his life. ____________________________

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Note Taking

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Koreans list the names of all family members on 1. The most interesting fact I learned on this page is that ________________________________________________ headstones. _____________________________________________________________________________________________


ascend. 2. One word that I didn’t know on this page is _____________________________________________________ move upward or rise.” It means “to ____________________________________________________________________________________

Chinese characters 3. One thing that I learned on this page is that Koreans use __________________________________________

Note Taking

______________________________________________________________ in addition to the Korean alphabet.


expansive. 4. The most descriptive use word on this page is ___________________________________________________ mood as he and his family members climbed up the hill to the gravesite. Lee uses it to describe the ________________________________________________________________________

If students have difficulty recapping the information, have them review the notes recorded on this page. Ask: What was Lee surprised to learn at his grandfather’s burial site? (Lee was surprised to learn that his grandmother was moved to be near his grandfather. He was also surprised to learn that all family members are listed on headstones.) This will help them understand the information presented in the article more fully.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ unrestrained, lighthearted, friendly, and open. In this instance it means ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Make sure that students have 5. Recap in your own words what you learned by reading this page of text. ____________________________ put what they learned into their own words and not merely restated phrases from the article. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Summarize below what you’ve recorded on this notes page: Most Interesting Fact All family members are listed on headstones in Korea.

Unfamiliar Word acscend

Most Descriptive Word expansive

One Thing I Learned Koreans use Chinese characters.

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Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Ask students to think about what it feels like to be in a new and unfamiliar place. Then, reread the text with them. Point out the word flustered. Explain to students that flustered means “frustrated” or “uncomfortable.”

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context How does Lee’s family react to feelings of being cultural outsiders during their first few years in America? Check all that apply.

■

They often had people over for dinner.

✓ ■ ✓ ■

They felt flustered. They didn’t allow themselves to get emotional.

Read and Discuss Discuss with a partner what the seating arrangement at the family dinners shows about the roles of men and women in Korean culture.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk Have students discuss in small groups the different dynamics that occur in cultural groups with which they are familiar. In most cultural groups, specific people take on specific roles, such a nurturers, providers, or leaders. Students might discuss the dynamics of their school, family, or sports team. Let them know that they do not have to share any personal information they do not wish to.

Students might say that ____________________________ because the men sit at the ____________________________ main table, they might have ____________________________ a____________________________ higher status in Korean culture than women do. ____________________________ Since the women sit nearer ____________________________

ancestors. For I realized how differently than I my uncle and his sons viewed that dark stone, how the names to them were just an ordinary fact of their lives, like the ancient arrangement of the planets. To me, raised away in the States, the listing seemed more remarkable than that, a kind of supernatural alliance, extraordinary and wonderful. For in our immigrant family of four, we were all we ever had. In the town where we lived (a small northern suburb of New York City), we were one of a handful of nonwhite families. Every great once in a while, there would be an uncle or aunt passing through New York, and they’d stay with us a few days or a week. In the evenings, my parents would chatter at the dinner table with special enthusiasm about all the reports from Seoul. My parents were generally happy, easygoing people, but in their first years in America, I would say they didn’t always allow themselves to experience many emotions, perhaps because they felt outside of and flustered by all the strangeness of their new world. And it was only when “home” made its return that they seemed to truly liven up. In later years, my parents considered America to be their only home, and although they possessed the means to do so by the time my mother died in 1991, our family had made only four visits to Korea in 23 years. Even as a serious teen, I didn’t mind the summer trips we took as a family. Korea was a lot better than, say, a car trip to family friends, not so much because of any reconnecting with the family but for the food. Best of all, were the grand meals we’d have at our relatives’ cramped apartments or houses, the dozens of dishes completely covering the low tables they’d set out for us—the men sitting at the main table, the women lodged at one nearer the kitchen. In the fog of my jet-lagged mind, the only things that made sense to me amid the superfast talk, which I mostly couldn’t understand, were all the bracing flavors, the radish kimchi and marinated raw crab and sesame-leaf pancakes. Even my father seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the rush of native language, occasionally asking people to repeat what they’d said. And this is how I found myself on my recent trip, out with my father’s side of the family at a popular barbecue

to the kitchen, they probably ____________________________ do the cooking. The genders ____________________________ are clearly divided. ____________________________

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Note Taking

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flustered 1. The most interesting word on this page is _______________________________________________________ describes the confusion his parents must have felt about the cultural practices of their because it_____________________________________________________________________________________


new country _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

. 2. One word that I didn’t know on this page is alliance _____________________________________________________

Note Taking

connection with others” It is “a ________________________________________________________________________________________ .


Korea, men and women sit at different tables when 3. One thing that I learned on this page is that in _____________________________________________________ they eat _____________________________________________________________________________________________

You might ask if any student has eaten Korean food before. If so, ask the student if he or she would like to share his or her thoughts on the experience. Ask the class if, based on Lee’s description, they would like to eat such a meal. (Many students will say they would like to.)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

4. Recap in your own words what you learned about the immigrant experience during the early years in a new country. Students should mention that immigrants might feel alienated and insecure in their new surroundings. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ They should also note that in the case of Lee’s family they reacted to this feeling of frustration by _____________________________________________________________________________________________ restraining their emotions. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Summarize the experience of the traditional Korean meals Lee experienced. Food • radish kimchi • marinated raw crab • sesame-leaf pancakes

Seating • low tables • men sit at the main table • women sit at a table near the kitchen

Location • family member’s apartment

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Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context If students have difficulty responding: Ask Do you ever feel like people are viewing you in terms of a stereotype? How did that make you feel? Have students write a paragraph on a separate sheet of paper about their experiences being viewed in terms of stereotypes. Let students know that stereotypes are not always based on ethnicity as in Lee’s experience, but that they can also be based on many factors, such as personal appearance, occupation, or age. Also let students know that they do not need to share their writing with anyone, but that identifying their personal experience of stereotyping will help them connect to Lee’s essay.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context How does Lee feel he is viewed in American society? How is it different from how he is viewed by his family?

Lee feels that in American _______________________________ society, he is defined by _______________________________

restaurant, straining to understand everyone’s questions about my family and work. I could say only a few words in response, my speaking ability in Korean not as developed as my aural comprehension. After the initial assurances that I could tolerate spicy food and a recounting of the names and ages of my daughters, I naturally retreated into the customary table rituals of the barbecue. I attended to grilling the meat and whole cloves of garlic, readying the bean paste and the fragrant shoots of chrysanthemum, cupping the fresh lettuce leaf to wrap all of it in. While the others ate heartily and engaged in their lively conversations, I was happy for their company and just as pleased simply to sit there and eat, gleaning what talk I could. There was no awkwardness due to the differences of our language or the brief time we’d spent together during our lives. Somehow all was fine. They were family. There was a certain ease in the gathering that I have rarely felt in my life. There was a level of comfort drawn, I think, from not having to explain myself in the customary ways. I wasn’t defined by the cultural and personal stereotypes that are part of my “regular” existence as a teacher and writer and maybe (if there really is such a person) as an Asian American. I kept thinking how plainly, deeply satisfying it was to be back among my cousins and aunts and uncles. With them, at least, I was not a provisional “I,” not an ethnic, or outsider, or an artist or intellectual, but simply someone whose connections to others were clear and traceable and real.

Asian American stereotypes. _______________________________ Although he is not completely _______________________________

READING CHECK

familiar with Korean culture, _______________________________ his extended family views _______________________________

Clarify

him simply as another family _______________________________

What positive memories does Lee have of his visits to Korea as a teen?

member who does not have to _______________________________ explain or categorize himself. _______________________________

Students should mention that Lee remembers the grand ______________________________________________________ meals at his relatives’ apartments, the dozens of dishes and ______________________________________________________

_______________________________

their bracing flavors, and the comfort of being with family. ______________________________________________________

_______________________________

______________________________________________________

_______________________________

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify If students are having trouble identifying Lee’s positive memories, have them brainstorm a list of adjectives that they might use to describe something positive. Then have them reread the text on the page. Ask what words or phrases does Lee use to let the reader know that these are positive memories? (“best,” “grand,” ”fragrant,” “fresh”)

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Note Taking

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1. Lee discusses some of the foods that he eats on his trips to Korea. Fill out the web with some of the different foods he mentions.

Radish kimchi


Marinated raw crab

Note Taking To help students get started, you might want to model your thinking process for completing one of the items.

Korean Foods

If students need help recapping in their own words, ask them questions such as, “What does Lee do with the lettuce leaf?” (He holds it in his hand and places grilled meat, garlic, bean paste, and chrysanthemum shoots in it. Then he wraps it all up into a bundle.)

Chrysanthemum shoots

Sesame-leaf pancakes

Bean paste

2. The meal Lee has when he visits Korea as an adult is different than those he remembers from his they eat at a restaurant instead of in someone’s home. childhood because ___________________________________________________________________________

3. Recap in your own words the customary rituals of the Korean barbecue. Encourage students to use their own words and not to merely repeat what is on the page. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Summarize below what you’ve learned in the article thus far: I’ve learned that Yong-In and Pyongyang are cities in Korea. I’ve also learned that Koreans bow and kneel _____________________________________________________________________________________________ to show respect and that they list the names of family members on headstones. At large family meals in _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Korea, many small dishes are served at low tables. Men sit at a main table and women sit at a table near _____________________________________________________________________________________________ the kitchen. Some Korean dishes are radish Kimchi, marinated raw crab, and sesame-leaf pancakes. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

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TIME: We Are Family Keep the Family Together

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context If students are having difficulty: Model I know Halmoni, Lee’s grandmother, is staying in Lee’s aunt’s house. This means that Halmoni is living with her child’s family, probably because she is no longer able to live safely on her own. When Lee arrives there, two of his aunts are making dinner. His cousin is willing to go and find Halmoni. This tells me that the whole family comes together to care for the elderly.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Based on Lee’s account, how do Koreans care for elderly family members? How is this different from how the elderly are cared for in the United States?

Students should mention that, _______________________________ based on Lee’s account, in _______________________________ Korea elderly family members _______________________________

The next night, I went to my maternal aunt’s house south of the Han River, where my grandmother Halmoni was staying. She was my only living grandparent, in her late 80s, and from recent reports, not doing terribly well. Her back was finally giving way, and she wasn’t very mobile; my cousin told me she sometimes crawled to the bathroom rather than ask anyone for help. I was nervous about seeing Halmoni in a bad state, not only for the sadness of such a sight but for the sake of her own pride. I almost wished I could have simply telephoned her my wishes of good health and love. When I rang the bell of my aunt’s house, a young cousin greeted me and led me inside. My two aunts were busy back in the kitchen making final preparations for dinner. My cousin and I sat down in the living room. Before I could say anything, my aunts came out, both wiping their hands on their aprons. We all hugged each other, then my younger aunt asked her son where Halmoni was. My cousin said he’d go look for our grandmother upstairs, but then Halmoni cleared her throat in the next room, effectively announcing herself. She came in, not crawling at all but walking with slowed, careful steps, her hunched back bent down almost to 90 degrees. She wrapped her arms around me, her face pressed into my chest, hardly taller now with her fallen posture than my six-year-old daughter. I could smell the faint almondy oiliness of her hair. And as much as I didn’t want to think of her as frail, she most clearly was, her hold of me like the cling of someone straining to grab on more than to hug. Soon enough, we were sitting together on the sofa, her hands cupping mine, gently kneading them just as she had often done to my sister and me as children.

live with and are cared for by _______________________________ their children. In the United _______________________________ States, many elderly people _______________________________ move to assisted living or _______________________________ nursing homes. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

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We Are Family

Note Taking

TIME: We Are Family


Halmoni her child’s home. 1. Lee’s grandmother, ___________________ , lives in __________________________________________________

2. On this page, Lee discusses seeing his grandmother after many years. Fill out the chart below with examples of Lee’s grandmother’s actions and what they show about her character. Action She will crawl to the bathroom instead of asking for help.


Characteristic She is proud and wants to be self-sufficient.

Note Taking She walks slowly, bent almost at 90 degrees.

She kneads Lee’s hands with hers.


She has physical challenges, but struggles to remain active.

If students have difficulty filling out the characteristic chart: Model What does it tell me that Halmoni would rather crawl to the bathroom instead of asking anyone for help? It shows me that she doesn’t want to trouble anyone and wants to be able to do things on her own. She doesn’t want others to have to help her, which shows me that she’s proud.

She is caring.

3. What are Lee’s concerns for his grandmother? Lee’s grandmother is in her late 80s and not doing very well. He is worried that he might be saddened to see her and that her pride may be hurt if he sees her in a bad state.

4. Summarize Lee’s experiences on his most recent trip to Korea up to this point. Explain how these experiences affect him. On this trip, Lee has visited his grandfather’s gravesite and discovered that all family members, including his family, are listed on his grandfather’s headstone. He went out to dinner with his father’s family, where he attended to the barbecue while they engaged in lively conversations. During this trip, Lee discovered that he is not an outsider, alien, or strange to his family in Korea regardless of his distance from them and difficulty with their language. He feels completely at home there and part of a group—a feeling he doesn’t always have in the United States.

We Are Family


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We Are Family

TIME: We Are Family

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Explain to students that every culture has facial expressions, hand gestures, and sounds that are particular to that culture. In Italy for example, a thumb brushed along the jawbone, means “pretty” or “beautiful.” In Greece, raising the eyebrows and tilting the head slightly upward means “no.” Ask students to think about some of the sounds, gestures, or facial expressions that are typical to American culture.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Lee says that the sound Halmoni makes is distinctly Korean. What is this sound intended to do? Can you think of a sound or gesture from your own culture that has a similar intention?

The raspy sound Halmoni _______________________________ makes is intended to make _______________________________ one feel both guilty and loved. _______________________________ Students might say that making _______________________________ a noise such as “tsk tsk” or _______________________________ shaking your index finger at _______________________________

“It’s too far for you to come,” she said. “It’s good you didn’t try to bring your family. You yourself shouldn’t have bothered.” “It’s no bother.” My cousin piped in, “Halmoni, he came over to see you, you know.” “Even more reason,” she said, though half-smiling. She asked earnestly, “Are you tired?” “I’m fine.” “You must be hungry.” “Not so much.” She called out to the kitchen, telling her daughters that I needed to eat right away. My younger aunt came out and said she could set the table, that we didn’t have to wait for the men to arrive (which was of course possible, though an impossibility). “Really,” I told her. “I want to wait.” She nodded and went back to the kitchen. Halmoni made a raspy sound in her throat at me, a distinctive Korean motherstyle scold, the sound of which contains just the pitch to make one feel at once guilty and beloved. “Are you feeling well these days?” I asked, having practiced the phrase (in Korean) on the subway ride. “Sometimes I have a little trouble with my back. But not today. Your father is in good health?” “Yes.” “You visit him regularly?” “I try to.” “You must do so always,” she said, tapping my hand for emphasis. “Keep the family together.” She paused. “And your stepmother, she is well, too?” “Yes.” Halmoni nodded. “That’s good,” she said. “It’s how it should be.” She was staring right into my eyes, gazing, I’m sure, at the remnants of her first child, my mother, the only one, with any mercy, who would precede her to the grave. I pictured my mother’s black granite headstone back in New York, and then, too, my paternal grandfather’s stone, and then Halmoni’s and my father’s and even my own, all the written names, cast wide.

someone is a similar scold. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

READING CHECK Clarify During his 2003 trip to South Korea, Lee learned many things about his family and what it means to be part of a family. How did Lee’s interaction with Halmoni solidify the lessons he learned? Students should point out that for most of his life, Lee felt like an outsider. On his 2003 trip to South Korea, he learned that, to his __________________________________________________________ family, he is not an outsider. He is a part of the family regardless of the geographical, linguistic, or cultural distance between them. __________________________________________________________ Halmoni helped to solidify the importance of family by telling Lee he must always keep the family together. __________________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify If students are having difficulty identifying how Halmoni reinforced what Lee learned on his recent trip to South Korea, ask them to think about Lee’s thoughts at the beginning of the essay versus his thoughts at the end of the essay. Model At the beginning of the essay Lee discusses his feelings of isolation. By the end of the essay, Lee talks about his newfound sense of belonging. Then have students underline Halmoni’s main piece of advice for Lee. (“Keep the family together.”)

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We Are Family

Note Taking

TIME: We Are Family


1. What did Lee feel was an impossibility even though his aunt suggested it? Even though his aunt suggested it, Lee felt that it was not possible to sit down and eat dinner before the men returned home.


2. Use the chart to list the order of events during Lee’s trip to Korea in 2003. Lee visits his grandfather’s grave with his uncle and cousin.

Note Taking To help students get started, you might want to model your thinking process for completing one of the items.

He has dinner with his father’s side of the family at a popular barbecue restaurant.

He goes to his maternal aunt’s house to visit his grandmother.

3. Recap, in your own words, Halmoni’s directives to Lee. Be sure that students express in their own words that Halmoni told Lee that he must visit his father regularly and always keep the family together.

4. Use the sequence chart above to write a brief summary of what Lee realizes on his trip to Korea. During Lee’s visit to his grandfather’s grave, Lee discovers that all his family members are listed on the headstone, even though his family no longer lives in Korea. While having dinner with his extended family, Lee realizes that he is not viewed as foreign or alien to his family, but as one of them. Lee’s grandmother tells him that he must always keep the family together. Through these experiences, Lee realizes that he is not alone but is part of something larger and grander. He comes to understand that, regardless of where he lives or his inability to speak fluent Korean, he will never be an “outsider” when he is with his family.

We Are Family


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After You Read

After You Read

We Are Family

Connect to the Essay Look back at the sentences you wrote on page 170 about the factors that influence identity. Now write about the factors that influenced Chang-rae Lee’s identity in the United States versus those that influenced it in Korea.

Connect to the Essay

Students might mention that for Chang-rae Lee, his identity in the United States was influenced by how ________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students are having difficulty connecting the statements from the Before You Read section to the selection, Ask: What are some things distinctive to American culture? (Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, barbecues, block parties, foods such as macaroni and cheese) What are some aspects of Korean culture that you read about in Lee’s essay? (family members are listed on headstones, bowing and kneeling to show respect, spicy foods, low tables) If you were born in one culture and moved to another when you were young, how might being a part of two cultures influence your identity? (Students might respond that being a part of two cultures might give them a unique perspective on life or that they might not feel fully connected to either culture.)

others viewed him. He was always categorized by others—as an Asian American, an intellectual, or an artist. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ In Korea, Lee’s identity was influenced by his family members’ total acceptance of him and by the inclusion ________________________________________________________________________________________________ of his family on his grandfather’s headstone—a traditional Korean practice. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cultural Context Recognizing the cultural context of a text can help you to better understand the theme or message of the author. Consider the cultural context in “We Are Family.” Then answer the questions below. 1. Why do you think Lee is more comfortable in the company of his Korean relatives than he might feel in the United States? Students should mention that Lee’s Korean family does not see him in terms of stereotypes. He is simply _____________________________________________________________________________________________ part of the family and is not expected to prove himself in any way. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Lee comments that he does not have to explain himself to his relatives. Why do you think he feels the need to explain himself in the United States? Students might mention that in the United States Lee senses that he is an “outsider,” stereotyped as an _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Asian American, an artist, an intellectual, or a teacher. He does not feel that he is taken simply for who _____________________________________________________________________________________________

After Reading

he is in the United States. _____________________________________________________________________________________________


3. How does Lee describe family meals in Korea versus family meals in America? In Korea, there is a tradition to the meals. They eat many different dishes with many strong flavors, and _____________________________________________________________________________________________ there is a ritual to the cooking of it. The family eats in a large group and there is lots of conversation. In _____________________________________________________________________________________________ America, Lee’s family was isolated and repressed their emotions. They came to life on the rare occasions _____________________________________________________________________________________________ that a relative visited; they would be very excited to talk over dinner about life in Korea. Lee does not _____________________________________________________________________________________________ mention the food or the ritual of their American dinners. _____________________________________________________________________________________________


➡

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree Prepare students to complete the activity on page A24. Read the grammar instruction with students; and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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Learning Objectives

Literary Element

Mood

Before You Read

For pages 185–204, 313

Mood is the overall feeling or emotion that a literary text creates for readers. A writer’s In studying these texts, you will focus on the following diction, or choice of words, helps to create mood. Knowing that the story is set in objectives: a catacomb and involves revenge, what type of mood would you predict the writer Literary Study: Comparing wants to create? Write your answer on the line below. across genres. Analyzing

rhyme and rhyme scheme. Possible answer: a mood of fear or horror ____________________________________________________________________________________________________


Reading: Making inferences about theme.

Reading Strategy Paraphrase Paraphrasing is putting a text into your own words. Unlike a summary, a paraphrase does not highlight the main points of the text. It restates a passage to make it clearer. As you read, make a chart like the one below on a separate sheet of paper to help paraphrase difficult sentences with unfamiliar vocabulary in your own words. A sample paraphrase has been done for you.

Talk About the Selections

Author’s Words

Paraphrase

A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

A wrong isn’t righted if the avenger gets caught. The object of the revenge must know who is taking revenge and why.

Vocabulary

Explain to students that they will be reading four selections, two of which are poems by Langston Hughes. Each of the selections explores jazz music. Tell students that jazz music is an essential part of American culture. Jazz involves a blend of several forms of music, most specifically African rhythms, African American spirituals, and American band music. Emphasize that jazz music, although in later years incorporating European influences, may be the only major art form that truly originated in the United States.

Context Clues

A word’s context is the sentence or paragraph in which the word appears. Often the context can help a reader understand the meanings of difficult words. Some common context clues include the following:

Vocabulary

Dream Boogie and Motto

preclude (pri kloodʼ) v. to prevent; to make impossible

by Langston Hughes

impunity (im pŪʼ nə tē) n. freedom from punishment, harm, or bad consequences

➤

definitions or synonyms

➤

examples

➤

contrast clues (opposite meanings)

➤

descriptions

➤

modifying words or phrases

—Dizzy Gillespie—

Tell students that they will read, discuss and compare each selection. Identify the genres and forms that they will be reading: poetry, a piece of literary nonfiction, and a letter. Have students provide examples of prior poems, nonfiction articles, and letters they have read.

accost (ə kôstʼ) v. to approach and speak to, especially in an aggressive manner

Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz

explicit (eks plisʼ it) adj. definitely stated, clearly expressed

In the following example, study the underlined part of the passage from the text. Identify how this context relates to the boldfaced vocabulary word. Then write what type of context clue it is on the line below.

Playing

by Studs Terkel

implore (im plorʼ) v. to ask earnestly, to beg

Jazz

“I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes the redresser.”

by Wynton Marsalis

Contrast clue ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dream Boogie and Motto/Dizzy Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds from Giants The Cask of Jazz/Playing of Amontillado Jazz

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Selections Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Usage Literary Element • Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme

Reading Strategy • Make Inferences About Theme Writing Link • Letter

Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Punctuation (exclamation point) BLM Grammar Link • Subject Pronouns and Verb Agreement BLM


Dream Boogie/Motto/Dizzy Gillespie/Playing Jazz

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Before You Read


Dream Boogie and Motto Dizzy Gillespie—Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz

Playing Jazz

Connect to the Selections In the selections that follow, you will explore three unique perspectives on the world of jazz music. Two poems by Langston Hughes use jazz as a springboard to reflect on the relationship between music and life. A piece of literary nonfiction profiles jazz great Dizzy Gillespie. Finally, contemporary jazz artist and educator Wynton Marsalis reflects on his musical craft in a letter to a student. Think about the questions below, then quickwrite a response to each.

Connect to the Selections Ask students to complete their quickwrites. Emphasize that there are no “correct” answers to the questions: students are to write what they know. If they are unfamiliar with the topic of jazz music, have students speculate. If they need help beginning a response, provide samples, such as: I know that jazz had its origins in African-American music, or Jazz musicians often play in groups, so they have to work together.

answer: Jazz is a form of music that many consider to be one of 1. What do you know about jazz? Possible ___________________________________________________________________ the few American born music traditions. answer: Jazz music and poetry both 2. How is jazz music, or other musical forms, similar to poetry? Possible ___________________________________________ have a rhythm that gives it structure.

Build Background Read each bulleted entry below. Think about a question you would like to find the answer to as you read. Jot down your questions on a separate piece of paper.

Build Background Write the names Langston Hughes, Dizzy Gillespie, and Wynton Marsalis on the board, then read the Build Background notes with students. Have students share their questions, writing them on the board under the appropriate name. Provide model questions if necessary.

•

Poet Langston Hughes portrayed the African American experience in the mid-1900s. In his poetry, Hughes expressed his thoughts in a style that displays a distinctively African American musical quality.

•

Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie was celebrated for his co-creation of the popular jazz style known as bebop.

•

Wynton Marsalis began performing jazz when he was just eight years old. Today, Marsalis is a leading jazz musician, promoter, and educator.

Set Purposes for Reading Read to compare how three different writers, working in three different forms, approach the many worlds of jazz.


Comparing Literature Comparing how a similar topic is treated in different literary forms and genres can provide a broader understanding of the topic. Different forms and genres use diverse literary elements to convey meaning. As you read, refer back to the following table, and think about how the three authors use the following features of their genres to convey different themes about jazz music.

Have students work in pairs to develop a list of more purposes for reading. Suggest that students begin their lists with the questions they developed in the Build Background activity.

Selection “Dream Boogie” and “Motto”

Comparing Literature Review the information in the table with students. Make sure students connect the different genres or forms with the features they can expect to find in each. While students are more familiar with poetry and letters, literary nonfiction may be a new genre for them. Explain that literary nonfiction includes reporting, research, and oral history interviewing. Tell students that works of literary nonfiction includes memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies.

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Genre/Form Poetry

Feature Rhyme, Rhythm, and Repetition

“Dizzy Gillespie: Explorer of New Sounds” Literary Nonfiction

Facts, Dialogue, Creative Descriptions

“Playing Jazz”

Personal Thoughts and Perspectives

Letter

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme

Rhyme is the repetition of the same sound in two or more words, usually at the ends of lines in poetry. Rhyme scheme is the pattern that an end rhyme, a rhyme occurring at the end of a line, forms. End rhymes are typically designated by letters. A different letter from the alphabet, starting with the letter A, signals each new rhyme. In a poem with the rhyme scheme designated as ABCB, the second and fourth lines rhyme. Read the short poem below. On the lines that follow, use letters to designate the rhyme scheme.

Literary Element Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme

I greeted the day, A ____________________________________________________________________________________ With a laugh and a smile. B ______________________________________________________________________________

Read the poem aloud and have students identify each line’s end rhyme. Ask: Does the first line’s end rhyme happen again in this stanza? (Yes, in the third line with “way”) Does the second line’s end rhyme occur again? (Yes, in the fourth line with “mile”) Have students collaborate on another stanza of the poem, continuing the ABAB rhyme scheme. Students can use the –ay / –ile rhymes, or choose new rhymes.

Folks along the way, A __________________________________________________________________________________ Heard my laugh from a mile. B ___________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme To make inferences about theme means using your experience and reason to guess the meaning, or theme, of a literary work based on the text and your own knowledge. Making inferences, or “reading between the lines,” can increase your understanding of poems, articles, and other literary forms. You can create a chart similar to the one below to help you make inferences about theme. Information From Text

What I Know

Inference

Theme Statement

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme Vocabulary

Emphasize to students the difference between the subject of a text and its theme. Subject is the broad topic of a literary work while theme is the main idea or message. Help students understand this by explaining that the subject of love can be expressed in many different ways depending on the author’s interpretation. Have students work in pairs to come up with a topic and two themes. Write the following sentence frame on the board:

Usage

One way to understand the meaning of a new word is to think about its part of speech and how that part of speech is used in sentences. Look at the definition and part of speech for the word in the side column. Read the word and its definition aloud. Then write the word on the blank in the sentence below. Reread the sentence to understand how the word is used in context.

word

Vocabulary deferred (di furdʼ) adj. put off, postponed motto (motʼ ō) n. statement of purpose or personal belief reason (rēʼ zən) n. purpose for doing something

What I Know

deferred

motto My ______________ is “work hard, play hard.”

motto

deferred The ______________ project would have to be finished later.

reason

reason The ______________ we didn’t play was because we wanted to listen.

Dream Boogie and Motto/Dizzy Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz/Playing Jazz


My topic is ________. Two possible themes for ________ are ________.

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Provide students with an example to help get them started. (My topic is love. Two possible themes for love are love conquers all and love is blind.)

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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: When something has been deferred, it has been put off or postponed. Example: The examination was deferred until after the winter break. Ask: What is something that might be deferred? EXAMPLE

A motto is a statement of personal belief. I live by the words of my motto. How is a motto related to the way a person behaves? EXPLANATION

The reason someone does something explains the person’s actions. The reason we went inside was because of the bad weather. Give a reason for reading this text. EXAMPLE


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Dream Boogie

Dream Boogie


Good morning, daddy! Ain’t you heard The boogie-woogie rumble Of a dream deferred?

Vocabulary deferred (di furdʼ) adj. put off, postponed 5

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme If students are having difficulty, point out the phrases “Listen closely:” on line 5 and “Listen to it closely:” on line 10. Ask: Why do you think the speaker asks the reader to listen closely twice? (To emphasize that there is something hidden beneath the happy music.)

You think It’s a happy beat?

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme Why do you think the speaker asks if the reader hears a “happy beat,” then goes on to ask if there is “something underneath” the beat?

Possible answer: The music _______________________________

Listen closely: You’ll hear their feet Beating out and beating out a—

10

Listen to it closely: Ain’t you heard something underneath like a What did I say?

may sound happy but there’s _______________________________ something sad in the beat _______________________________


as well. _______________________________

Point out one or two phrases that you find interesting to help students get started.

Read and Discuss Read this section of the poem aloud with a partner. As you read, underline words and phrases that strike you as interesting. Then discuss why you found the lines interesting.

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Fluency Expression and Intonation: Punctuation Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on using correct expression when they come to an exclamation point. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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Dream Boogie

Dream Boogie 15

20

Sure, I’m happy! Take it away! Literary Element

Hey, pop! Re-bop!1 Mop!

Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme What rhyme scheme do you find in this highlighted section?

Y-e-a-h! AAAB _______________________________

Explain your answer on the lines below.

Students should recognize the _______________________________ ending sound –op is repeated _______________________________ three times (A, A, A) and _______________________________

“Y-e-a-h” is a new end rhyme. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme Review rhyme schemes with students. Ask: If four end rhymes of a poem are end, gave, bend, and pave, what is the poem’s rhyme scheme? (A, B, A, B) Have students volunteer other end rhymes and determine their rhyme schemes. Then have students answer their activity question.

1. Re-bop is another term for “bebop,” a style of jazz characterized by a staccato two-note phrase that was the music’s trademark.

READING CHECK Summarize What is the speaker’s relationship with the music by the end of the poem? Possible answer: The speaker lets himself go in the ______________________________________________________ nonsense of the music in order to feel happy. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Dream Boogie


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Reading Check Summarize If students are having difficulty, ask them to underline words or phrases that describe the speaker’s emotions or thoughts at the end of the poem.


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Motto

Motto


I play it cool And dig1 all jive2 That’s the reason I stay alive.

Vocabulary reason (rēʼ zən) n. purpose for doing something

5

Literary Element

Literary Element Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme Remind students that an end rhyme is a rhyme that occurs at the end of a line in poetry. If students are struggling, point out that the first and third lines of the first stanza do not rhyme, while the second and fourth lines do.

Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme What are the end rhymes of the second and fourth lines?

My motto, As I live and learn, is: Dig And Be Dug In Return.

Students should recognize _______________________________ that jive and alive are the end _______________________________ rhymes. _______________________________

Vocabulary


motto (motʼ ō) n. statement of purpose or personal belief 1. Dig is slang for “to like.” 2. Jive may refer to swing music and the dancing performed to it, or the slang hipsters use in conversations.

Remind students that dig is a slang term meaning, “to like.” Have students replace dig in the stanza with like, to paraphrase the speaker’s motto. Ask students if they agree with this motto. Model I agree with this motto because everyone wants to be liked.

Read and Discuss

READING CHECK Read the second stanza out loud with a partner. Discuss what you think the speaker’s motto means. Then, create your own personal motto that you try to live by.

Summarize Explain in your own words the main idea or message of this poem. Possible answer: The poem Motto is a statement of personal ______________________________________________________ belief in living life to its fullest. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize Have students underline key phrases or words that will help them as they create their summaries. (Possible answers: dig all jive, my motto, Dig and Be Dug / In Return).

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—Dizzy Gillespie—

Dizzy Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz

Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz John Birks Gillespie was a lively, impish little boy. “John Birks! John Birks!” his harried mother called out. “Where in the world is that child?” Of her nine children, this youngest one was the most irrepressible. From the parlor came the sound of a pounding piano. She peered into the room, chuckled softly to herself, and shook her head. The four-year-old had clambered up on the high stool and was furiously stabbing at the keyboard with his pudgy little fingers. He gloried in the making of loud sounds. All kinds of instruments were strewn about the Gillespie household, in Cheraw, South Carolina. The father was a bricklayer by day and an amateur musician by night. As leader of the local band, he was the guardian of the other members’ instruments. The small boy quickly tired of the piano and scurried toward a clarinet that lay upon the table. He tooted into it a few times. His large, luminous eyes wandered to the nearby mandolin. Curious, he plucked at the strings. Now a huge instrument loomed up before him. It rested in a corner, against the wall. It

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature What conclusion can you draw about the young boy’s interest in music?

Possible answer: He enjoys _______________________________ music and playing instruments. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Comparing Literature If students are struggling, Ask: How does John Birks Gillespie act towards the instruments in his home? (excited, energetic) Have students read out loud parts of the text that describe the young Dizzy Gillespie’s interactions with the instruments in his home.

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Underline the text that helped you draw this conclusion.



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Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature Ask students to compare Terkel’s descriptions of Gillespie’s interactions with music and instruments at the age of four and at the age of fourteen. Recreate the chart below. Have students volunteer answers and write them on the board.

Comparing Literature How does Gillespie explore his interests in making music now that he is older?

Possible answer: He learns the _______________________________ style of his favorite trumpet _______________________________

Gillespie at age 4

Gillespie at age 14

player. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Comparing Literature Remind students of the chart they reviewed earlier. Literary nonfiction is characterized by its use of fictional style and tools—such as dialogue and imagery—to present facts. Have students discuss in small groups or pairs moments in the selection where the characteristics of literary nonfiction are present.

_______________________________

Comparing Literature This is an example of literary nonfiction. Check off the features you have noted so far that are characteristic of literary nonfiction in this selection. ■ Personal perspectives ■ Rhymes ✓ Dialogue ■ ✓ Creative descriptions ■ ■ Autobiography

was a bass viol.1 He approached it cautiously. With all his might, he plucked at a thick, taut string. The vibrating sound startled him. He jumped back. Soon he was at the piano again, blithely pounding away. Here he could make the most noise with the least effort. John Birks Gillespie was acquainting himself with musical instruments. All kinds. . . . [At the age of fourteen, John’s] idol was a trumpet player. There was a radio at the Harringtons. Each week it was a ritual to listen to the broadcast from New York’s Savoy Ball Room.2 Roy Eldridge’s trumpet was featured with the band of Teddy Hill. Young Gillespie listened intently to the solos of Eldridge. This man had his own special style; his horn had an amazingly wide range, rich colors, and a sharp bite. “Little Jazz,” as Eldridge was called, had gone beyond the New Orleans trumpet style as perfected by Louis Armstrong. He had discovered in the trumpet its own special quality. He added a new dimension to its playing. Young Gillespie sensed this and determined to simulate the style of Eldridge as closely as possible. He began to teach himself the technique of this horn with thoroughness and persistence. At times it was an ordeal for his mother in her search for peace and quiet. She was not the only one who moaned, “That noise is driving me crazy.” The members of the school band practiced wherever they could. As soon as they were kicked out of one home, they paraded into another. When the last weary mother cried, “Out, children. I can’t hear myself think,” they played in the open field. They blew loudly, joyously, and often off-key. John Gillespie had a good ear. Soon he was considered the best trumpet player around. But he had one trouble. He could play in only one key: B-flat. It was his best-kept secret. That is, till the day Sonny Matthews returned to town. Sonny was Cheraw’s best piano player. During his absence, Gillespie had gained his fine reputation as a trumpeter. “Where’s this John Birks I been hearin’ about?” Sonny asked on his first day back. He invited Gillespie to his house for a twoman jam session. “What do you wanna play, man?” asked the host. “Anything. I don’t care,” replied the cocky young trumpeter. “Okay, let’s make it ‘Nagasaki.’”

1. A viol is a stringed instrument with a flat back that is played with a curved bow. 2. The Savoy Ball Room, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, was where many big bands played.

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Dizzy Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz Sonny struck up a few chords on the piano. No sound came from the horn. John Birks Gillespie was mortified. Matthews was playing in the key of C! From that moment on, an embarrassed young man with a horn vowed to learn every key. . . . Lottie Gillespie moved her family to Philadelphia in 1935. Though it was a new world for John, he wasn’t one bit afraid. He was confident and saucy. Hat cocked to one side, eyes twinkling mischievously, he was ready for any kind of prank. Here his funloving ways earned him the nickname of Dizzy. It stuck. . . . In his constant quest for a new style on the trumpet, he heard a sound that intrigued him. It was 1939. He was working for Edgar Hayes at the World’s Fair in New York. Hayes’s clarinet player, Rudy Powell, was playing a riff, a repeated phrase, of changing chords. Dizzy rushed to the piano. “I always go to the piano when I want to try out something new. You see, you can skip around on the piano so easily. You can pick out chords, skip notes, jump intervals. Then you transpose it for the trumpet.” He played the arrangement over and over. He was excited. An idea was taking form in his mind. “I realized there could be so much more in music than what everybody else was playing.” Gillespie knew now there must be some new way of playing the trumpet. Late in 1939, he joined the orchestra of Cab Calloway. There were some excellent musicians in the band. Among them were Chu Berry at the tenor sax, Hilton Jefferson at the alto, Cozy Cole at the drums, and Milt Hinton at the bass. During his two years with Calloway, Dizzy recorded more than fifty sides. More important, it was his period of groping for new ways to express himself. There were difficulties. Some of the band’s veterans were irritated by Gillespie’s unorthodoxies. “What’s he trying to do anyway?” “Why doesn’t he stick to the arrangements?” “The guy’s a ‘character.’” Calloway himself was not too happy with Dizzy’s didoes.3 Occasionally during his musical explorations Dizzy would get lost. When he’d miss the final high note, after a long-range

Read and Discuss Read this page out loud with a partner. Talk about the main idea of the passage, then identify details that support the main idea you choose.

Students should recognize ____________________________ that the main idea is ____________________________ Gillespie’s searching for ____________________________ a new way to play the ____________________________ trumpet. Supporting details ____________________________


Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk To help students get started, remind them that a main idea is the most important point of a topic. Remind students that authors provide details that support their main idea.

may include his exposure ____________________________ to Rudy Powell’s playing ____________________________ and rushing to the piano to ____________________________ figure out the riff for himself. ____________________________

Comparing Literature What kind of identity is Gillespie creating through his love of jazz music? Circle your answer.

Comparing Literature Have students provide definitions for each of the choices. Ask: What is a troublemaker? (Someone who likes to make mischief.) How would you describe a jokester? (Someone who likes playing pranks on others.) Continue this process with innovator and slacker.

a. troublemaker b. jokester c. innovator d. slacker Underline the veteran players’ reactions to Gillespie’s actions.

3. A dido is a mischievous prank.



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Read and Discuss


Read the dialogue between Milt Hinton and Dizzy Gillespie aloud with a partner. What features of jazz are present in this conversation? Discuss with a partner.

Students should recognize ____________________________


that innovation and ____________________________

Explain to students that Milt Hinton acts as a mentor to Dizzy Gillespie when other musicians ignored the type of music he was trying to create. Ask students if they have had a similar mentoring or collaborative relationship with someone.

Comparing Literature If students have difficulty responding, remind students that one of the key features of jazz is musical collaboration amongst musicians. Ask: Do you think Dizzy Gillespie would be able to create the sound he was searching for by himself? (No, because he needed other musicians to help him shape the sound and give him guidance.) Who were some of the musicians that helped Gillespie? (Milt Hinton, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke)

collaboration are big parts ____________________________ in jazz. ____________________________

Comparing Literature The author introduces a number of individuals on this page. What does this tell the reader?

progression, the leader angrily muttered, “All right now! Enough of that! No more of that Chinese music!” There were others in the band who sensed the pioneer in young Gillespie. Gently they encouraged him. “Come here, kid,” said Milt Hinton, the bass player, during an intermission. “Let’s go on the roof and practice.” During the Calloway engagement at New York’s Cotton Club, the two men were often on the roof, quietly working together. Hinton walked the bass, while Gillespie tried different chords and melodic patterns on his trumpet. “I like what you’re trying to do,” said Hinton. “Keep it up, kid.” Dizzy did keep it up, thanks to the opening of a little nightclub in Harlem. It was called Minton’s Play House. Teddy Hill managed it. He encouraged young musicians to gather here after hours, to play exactly as they felt. Gillespie became a regular habitué, together with Thelonious Monk, a pianist, and Kenny Clarke, a drummer. Clarke was experimenting as a drummer as Dizzy was as a trumpeter. His rhythm was implied rather than emphasized. He varied his punctuation, instead of steadily pounding away at the drum at four-to-the-bar. Here, too, Charlie Christian often came, after his regular stint with Goodman. Another young musician seeking a new avenue in jazz frequented Minton’s. He was an alto-sax player in the swing

Possible answer: The author _______________________________ demonstrates that creating _______________________________ music is a collaborative effort. _______________________________

READING CHECK

_______________________________

Question

_______________________________

Why was Minton’s Play House important to Dizzy Gillespie as a musican?

_______________________________

Possible answer: Gillespie got to play the kind of music ______________________________________________________ he wanted unlike when he played with Cab Calloway’s ______________________________________________________ orchestra. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question If students have difficulty answering, Ask: What is the difference between Minton’s Play House and Cab Calloway’s orchestra? (Musicians could play “exactly as they felt” at Minton’s Play House. With Cab Calloway’s orchestra, Gillespie had to play what was in front of him.)

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Dizzy Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz band of Jay McShann, recently arrived from Kansas City. His name was Charlie Parker. Later, Dizzy and he were to really cross paths and become the two major figures in the development of the jazz known as “bop.” At Minton’s, Dizzy’s closest associate was Thelonious Monk. “Monk and I would work on an idea,” remembers Dizzy. “Then I’d try it out the next night with Calloway. Cab didn’t like it. It was too strange for him.” The word spread quickly among musicians. Minton’s was the place to visit for exciting jam sessions and new approaches. Soon the place was packed with players, many of whom had limited talents. The regulars had to find some way to keep the mediocre ones off the bandstand. “What’re we going to do about those cats who can’t blow at all, but it takes them seven choruses to prove it?” asked the perplexed Gillespie. “By the time they get off, the night’s shot.” “Let’s practice in the afternoon,” suggested Monk. “We’ll work out variations so complex it’ll scare ’em away.” That’s how it began. Bewildered musicians of lesser talents shook their heads and walked off the stand. Gradually Dizzy and his colleagues became more and more interested in what they were doing. They explored more deeply. And a new jazz style was evolving. . . . When Dizzy and Parker played, the music had drive and humor and warmth. Many of their imitators lacked this, because they lacked musicianship. These two artists were not seeking mimics, but colleagues. In the years that followed, numerous young musicians came into prominence. They were happily equipped with the attributes Gillespie and Bird sought—good craftsmanship, imagination, and daring. Hundreds of records were cut, originals as well as standards. Young musicians were developing new melodic lines based on chord sequences of popular jazz numbers. New recording companies came into being, scores of them. Modern jazz was here to stay. In Europe as in America the impact was felt. Though Gillespie’s 1948 tour through Scandinavia was a financial flop, it was not due to the music. The band was mismanaged. Dizzy’s later appearances in Europe were enthusiastically received.




What do you think the author means when he describes Gillespie and Parker as “not seeking mimics”?

Students should recognize _______________________________ that Gillespie and Parker _______________________________ did not imitate older jazz _______________________________ musicians. They believed the _______________________________ musicians that followed them _______________________________ should also contribute their _______________________________ own innovations. _______________________________ _______________________________

Comparing Literature If students have difficulty responding, remind them of some of the themes explored in earlier questions. The author has emphasized the importance of musicians’ working together as they try to create new sounds or new forms of music. Ask students if they think Gillespie has been described so far as the kind of person who would just like other musicians to copy him. Ask if they think he would be open to variations on his ideas.


Read and Discuss Reread this page with a partner. Discuss what brought modern jazz into the music scene.

Students should recognize ____________________________

To help jumpstart student discussion, direct them to pay close attention to the paragraph that begins “That’s how it began” and “When Dizzy and Parker played . . .”

the innovation and craft ____________________________ Gillespie and other ____________________________ musicians brought to ____________________________ modern jazz to make it ____________________________ a possible form of music ____________________________ expression. ____________________________



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Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature Have students reread the page, underlining parts of the text that describe the people’s reactions to Gillespie’s concerts. Point out that the quotes from the American official at Damascus and Dizzy Gillespie are examples of primary sources, or original research, writings, or accounts from people who were a part of an event, time period, or topic. These primary sources create a secondary source, or a documentation of events and facts by people who were not a part of an event. Ask: What is the secondary source created by the primary sources? (The selection, Dizzy Gillespie, Explorer of New Sounds)


Comparing Literature Why do you think Gillespie’s music was recognized in places that were suspicious of jazz?

Possible answer: His music _______________________________ speaks to the souls of people _______________________________ everywhere. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Perhaps the highlight of Dizzy Gillespie’s career was his tour of the Middle East in 1956. Under the auspices of the U.S. State Department, he led a big band into such lands as India, Iraq, Turkey, and Lebanon. These were places where most people had never heard live jazz, let alone American artists. These concerts were divided into two parts. The first half dealt with origins, ranging from the African drums and spirituals to big band classics. The second half consisted of modern jazz. Dizzy Gillespie was a wonderful ambassador of goodwill. He and his music won over these people immediately. “I have never seen these people let themselves go like this,” observed an American official at Damascus.4 He himself had been suspicious of jazz. In Ankara, Dizzy refused to play at an important gathering until the little ragamuffins outside the wall were let in. “Man, we’re here to play for the people.” Dizzy called a young native trumpeter to the stage. The boy was so moved he could hardly speak. Gillespie handed him his cigarette case. Engraved on it were the words: “In token of the brotherhood of jazz.” Does it matter what label is given to jazz? Be it traditional or be it modern, if a talented man plays it with joy and love, that’s all that matters. Says Dizzy Gillespie: “I’m playing the same notes, but it comes out different. You can’t teach the soul. You got to bring out your soul on those valves.”

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

4. Damascus is the capital of Syria.

READING CHECK Clarify What did Dizzy Gillespie do during his tour of the Middle East? Possible answer: He gave concerts that taught the history of ______________________________________________________ modern jazz. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify If students are having difficulty, tell them to reread the page, searching for descriptions of Gillespie’s time in the Middle East.

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Playing Jazz

Playing Jazz

July 18, 2003 Dear Anthony, How are you, man? Glad to hear you got something from my last letter. Don’t just read that stuff and lock it away in your head. Figure out how to apply it. Tours go on and on. We just out here, from one city to the next. I just head where they tell me. So excuse the distance between these notes. I try to write when I can. Man, last night we played a small, intimate club inside a Boston hotel. Can’t complain at all; gig just felt good. Small places, man. The people all around you, making all kind of noise and grooving. It just inspires the band. Folks in the audience let the sound wash all over them, especially when our drummer, Herlin,1 gets sanctified on the tambourine in 5/4. After the gig, someone brought us a full-course meal— black-eyed peas, corn bread, barbecued ribs, mashed potatoes, even had the nerve to have some corn pudding. People cook for you when you sound good and have good manners. In all seriousness, though, no matter how often something like that happens, and it happens a lot, the love and generosity of spirit that we feel out here is always humbling. And it makes missing your family a bit more tolerable. But boy, if you don’t like people, you’ll have a lonely time out here. I wanted to rap with you about playing. Yes, that simply, that essentially—what it takes to play jazz music. Playing covers four essential bases: the expansion of your musical

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature Ask: What does Marsalis tell Anthony, his student, to do with his letters? (Marsalis urges Anthony to “apply” the points he is making.) If students have difficulty responding, have them pay special attention to the beginning of the letter and the last sentences on the page.

Comparing Literature Marsalis says that he was to “rap” about playing. Make an inference to explain his purpose for writing this letter, based on what you’ve read so far.

Possible answer: He’s helping _______________________________ a student learn more about _______________________________ playing jazz. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ 1. Herlin is Wynton Marsalis’s longtime drummer Herlin Riley.

Playing Jazz


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Playing Jazz

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Playing Jazz

Playing Jazz

Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk Read and Discuss

Before partners start their discussions, point out that students may be more familiar with the use of metaphor in the context of fiction. Explain that metaphor is a literary device that can also be used in nonfiction and, in this case, a letter.

With a partner, identify and discuss Marsalis’ use of metaphor in this section. Discuss whether the metaphor help Marsalis bring his points across.

Students should recognize ____________________________ the metaphor of studying ____________________________

Comparing Literature Have students define charisma in their own words. Use a dictionary if they are unable to define the word. Ask students to give examples of charismatic performances they have seen. Ask: How did the performer’s charisma affect their performance? (It made their performance exciting.)

music in the same way as ____________________________ studying etymology. ____________________________

Comparing Literature Why does Marsalis say you should “always bring charisma to your sound”? a. People want to see dull musicians. b. People want to be moved by music.

vocabulary, employing charisma in your sound, locating your personal objective, and embracing swing. Let’s spend some time chopping all four up. First, the more vocabulary you know, the more you can play. It’s just like talking. A person can know twenty words very well and communicate successfully. But there’s gonna be a whole pile of things that he or she never talks about. You need to have vocabulary on all aspects of jazz—melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and personal effects. It’s always best to start with what you should know—things from your region, then national things. In other words, if you’re from Kansas City, you need to know what the Kansas City blues sounds like. Then you need to know American themes and tunes. And today you need to know more music, especially in the global sense. All over the world, styles of music have specific objectives. Learning those objectives will serve you well, allowing you to incorporate a greater breadth of material into your own vocabulary. Musicians in the Latin tradition always complain that the jazz musicians don’t know any of their music. Study and learn whatever music catches your fancy from around the world with people who know it and can play it. The enhancement to your own music will be invaluable. Studying the vocabulary of music is like etymology.2 If they’re interested in romance languages, people will study Latin, from which all those languages descend. In the same manner, most groove music comes from the African 6/8 rhythm—the claves3 in Cuban music to the shuffle of the Mississippi blues. But if you don’t know your own language, your own vocabulary, forget about learning someone else’s. Second, always bring charisma to your sound. People want to hear some music. They don’t come out to see robots toot horns. They want to be uplifted, amazed, and enlightened. Infuse your sound with charisma. What you do when playing for the public isn’t much different from any stage-based performance. Imagine the actor who trots out onstage only to deliver lines in bland fashion with no regard to distinguishing his or her craft. Would that make you enthusiastic? You have to understand and locate your distinct approach to the music, and then infuse your playing with that sentiment. Whatever

c. People hate listening to music. d. People naturally enjoy jazz.

2. Etymology means the history of a word. 3. Claves is a two-bar syncopated pattern of music.

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Playing Jazz

Playing Jazz your approach turns out to be, deliver it with force, power, and conviction. With fun, man. This is playing. But while you’re up on that bandstand blowing with force and power, keep in mind that playing jazz is like anything else in life: When you start a thing off, you’re much more enthusiastic than when you get to the middle. If you’re running a race, you shoot out like Jesse Owens reborn. Playing ball? That enthusiasm might make you think you’re Joe Montana.4 Then after a couple of interceptions the thrill is gone. This happens in almost every activity in the world. So when you play, don’t get carried away or burned out by the importance of your own effort. Start good. Finish good. Sound good. No more complicated than that. And when I say sound good, I mean sounding good enough to get a job. Because when you sound good, people will hire you; when you sound good, people will be calling. Of course, sounding good also goes beyond the marketplace; it goes right to the heart of your personal objectives—our third base of playing. Although objectives vary, depending on the individual, there exists a central, common point: What do you want to give to people? Let me lay this on you. Once I asked Sweets Edison,5 “Why is it that you always sound good, from the first note that you play?” “There’s only one way to play, baby boy,” Sweets answered. “There ain’t but one way to do it.” Sweets means that you project your way with the ultimate feeling all the time, whether you’re playing in a sad band, a great band, for elementary school students, at someone’s birthday party at their house, or ’cause someone fixed a meal for you. When you pull your horn out, you should play as if that’s the most important moment in your life. If it’s not, make it be. Remember when you were a kid and you really, really wanted something? It could have been the most trivial thing. Remember the way you begged and pleaded for it? Imagine playing with that passion, that desire, as if this was the most needed thing in your life. When we get older, we learn how to temper our wanting, our desire. Well, tap back into that childhood fervor and freedom of expression. That’s what you have to have when you play. That thing you wanted the most and the way you were willing to sacrifice any speck of pride or dignity to obtain it. Remember how you wanted it; remember

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature

Comparing Literature What literary device does Marsalis use on this page?

Students should look for examples of each of the choices and exclude answers that are not present in the selection: Model Answer choice b cannot be right because there is no repetition of two or more words with the same sound. After students have answered, Ask: Where does Marsalis use allusion in his letter? (He alludes to Jesse Owens running a race, Joe Montana playing football and speaking with Sweets Edison.)

a. assonance b. rhyme c. allusion d. sound devices

4. Joe Montana is a former professional football player. 5. Sweets Edison is the late jazz trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison.

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Playing Jazz

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Playing Jazz

Playing Jazz Comparing Literature


Underline the sentence that best explains what happens when you do not play jazz with passion.

Comparing Literature Read and Discuss

Remind students that this is a letter focusing on Marsalis’ personal experience as a musician. Ask: Is this letter an example of a primary or secondary source? (Primary) What makes this letter a primary source? (It’s a first hand account from someone who is a part of an event, topic or time period.)

Read this page out loud with a partner. Discuss with a partner the way Marsalis describes a Latin contemporary band to a jazz band.

how you cried when you didn’t get it? What about the girl who couldn’t stand you? Or who liked you until Amos came around? Play with that passion. Realize that the fundamentals of jazz help you develop your individuality, help you find that passion. Don’t say, “I’m not going to really play blues,” or “I’m not going to address swing.” Don’t run from you. Running carries a cost. Have you ever noticed that when you hear a contemporary Latin band play and juxtapose it with a jazz band, the Latin music almost always sounds better? You wonder why that’s the case? Just look at the bandstand. You’ll see that the Latin musicians appear invested and involved; they believe in the integrity of their groove. Now look at the jazz band: not accepting the swing, trying to find some quasi-funk groove or, even worse, that sad jazz quasi-Latin groove. You can practically hear them muttering to themselves— “Swing is dead; let’s try something else.” They take detours to avoid sounding bad and run right into what they flee. The fourth and perhaps most important facet of playing jazz, swing and swinging.

Students may say that the ____________________________ Latin contemporary band ____________________________ sounds more bright and ____________________________ exciting than the jazz band. ____________________________


____________________________

If students are having difficulty responding, have pairs go through the paragraph that discusses the differences between Latin contemporary and jazz bands. Have students underline the descriptions of the Latin contemporary band in one color, and Marsalis’ description of a jazz band in another. Ask students to discuss how these differences are explored.

____________________________

READING CHECK Question Why does Marsalis say a contemporary Latin band plays better than a jazz band? Students should recognize that Marsalis believes Latin ______________________________________________________ musicians are fully involved in their music as opposed to ______________________________________________________ how some jazz musicians may be forgetting their roots in ______________________________________________________ what he calls “swing.” ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question Ask: Do you agree with Marsalis’ belief that contemporary Latin bands play better than a jazz band? Why or why not? (Possible answer: No, because jazz bands can be just as passionate about playing music.)

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Playing Jazz

Playing Jazz You may hear about “quintessentially American” things. Well, what makes a thing quintessential is that it reflects the values of the thing it is supposed to be quintessentially about. In the case of an art form, it not only reflects the values, it embodies them, it ennobles them, and it emboldens them. That’s why people study art forms with such intensity, because the artist channels the spirit of the nation. In the case of the swing, no one person created it; democracy is a collective experience. And swing is a democratic and quintessentially American concept. Swing is supreme coordination under the duress of time. Swing is democracy made manifest; it makes you constantly adjust. At any given time, what’s going to go on musically may not be to your liking. You have to know how to maintain your equilibrium and your balance, even if things are changing rapidly. Swing is designed for you to do that. Why? Each musician has a different concept of time. Sometimes I tell my students, “I want you all to stand up when a minute is over.” And some people get up after twenty seconds. Some get up after a minute and a half. That shows the variance between individual concepts of time. As a player you have to, of your own volition, come to a conclusion about how you approach time. But swing has a hierarchy, like a government. The president of the swing is the drummer. The drummer has the loudest instrument and the cymbal is in the highest register. In African music it’s called the bell rhythm. It’s always the high rhythm, because you can hear that rhythm. In jazz, the bell rhythm is on the cymbal. You follow the bell rhythm.

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature If students have difficulty responding, ask students to think about their own experiences and how these experiences can influence the advice they give to others. Ask students to break up into pairs or small groups and discuss how they would write a letter to someone from middle school looking for advice on how to succeed in high school.

Comparing Literature How does being a professional musician influence Marsalis’s advice in the letter? Fill out the sentence frame below. As a musician, Marsalis is able to give

Possible answer: a unique _______________________________ perspective on the subject _______________________________ of jazz. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Write the following questions on the board to help guide their discussion: • Would you use the same techniques as Marsalis to give advice and get your points across? • Why would a student from middle school ask for a high school student’s advice? • What kind of advice would you share?

_______________________________

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Playing Jazz

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Playing Jazz

Playing Jazz



How does Marsalis use simile in this part of the letter?

Students should recognize that _______________________________ Marsalis compares a swing _______________________________

Comparing Literature Review simile with students. Remind them that a simile is a figure of speech that uses the words like or as to compare two seemingly different things. If students are having difficulty: Model Marsalis says that swing is like a government. This is an example of simile. Swing, a type of music, and government do not appear to have much in common.

band to a government, using _______________________________ the word like. _______________________________

But, like a government, swing also has checks and balances, because if the drummer rushes, the bass player might bring the time back. Sometimes the president of the swing is whoever has the best time. When Charlie Parker played, his time was so good that the bell rhythm would follow him. So you have that possibility. This is also a democratic proposition. If you have a weak president, man, you might need a strong legislative branch, or a stronger judiciary—checks and balances. Swing ties in with the heart of the American experience: You make your way; you invent your way. In jazz, that means you challenge the time, and you determine the degree of difficulty of the rhythms you choose to play. You could play quarter notes, which are difficult to play in time. Or any type of impossible, fun syncopations. Or you could just play strings of eighth notes. You try to maintain your equilibrium with style, and work within the flow. That’s what the swing offers.

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

READING CHECK Clarify What are some of the tips Marsalis shares with his student? Possible answer: Play jazz with passion. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify Have students recall the four points Marsalis said his letter would make and the various examples and details he used as support.

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After You Read


After You Read

Dizzy Gillespie—Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz

Playing Jazz

Connect to the Selections Look back at your quickwrites. How would you respond differently to each question after having read the three selections? If you would not change your answers, explain why.


Students’ responses should indicate an understanding of the major points of the selections. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Possible answer: The poems gave a feel for the rhythms of jazz and the feelings the music evokes, but didn’t _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bring in a piece of jazz music (by Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, or another notable jazz musician) for the class. Ask students to think about the themes and rhythms explored in each selection as they listen to the music. After students have finished listening, have them write a short paper on how the selections helped them relate to the music.

provide facts and details about the artists who create jazz music and how they feel about the music. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

An effective paper will

Comparing Literature The selections you read explored jazz music in different literary forms or genres: poetry, literary nonfiction, and a letter. On the lines below, explain how reading the selections as a group provided you with a fuller understanding of the topic. Would what you have learned about jazz been different if you had only read one of the selections? Explain.

• engage the student’s musical experience with the overall theme of the selections

Literary Element Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme Langston Hughes used rhyme and rhyme scheme to convey his portrayals of the African American experience. Use the space below to create a stanza that conveys your own thoughts or past experiences, by using rhyme and rhyme scheme.

• include details from the selections as support

Students should be able to write a stanza that uses rhyme and rhyme scheme to convey their thoughts or _________________________________________________________________________________________________ past experiences. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Theme When you make inferences, you are using clues you found in the text to draw a conclusion about the overall meaning of a literary work. After reading Langston Hughes’ two poems “Dream Boogie” and “Motto,” what would you say is the theme? Use the chart below to help you determine the theme through clues you found in the texts. Record details from the text in the first column. Write down your inferences in the second column. answer: music helps you ignore the pain of racism. The theme of Langston Hughes’ two poems is Possible _________________________________________________________ Clue

Inference

Possible answer: “What did I say?/Sure,/I’m happy!/ Take it away! ”

Possible answer: The speaker wants to forget about the “something underneath” and just be happy.

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Subject Pronouns and Verb Agreement Prepare students to complete the activity on page A25. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.


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After You Read

After You Read



Playing Jazz

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning For each of the boldfaced vocabulary words below, choose the sentence that best represents the meaning of the vocabulary word.

After Reading

1. deferred


a We can now move forward to achieve our next goal. b We will have to wait awhile to move on to our next goal. 2. motto a These are words I use in my new song. b These are words I live my life by. 3. reason a That explains why you seem so happy. b I still can’t figure out why you seem so happy. B. Usage Complete the following statements to help you explore the meanings of the boldfaced vocabulary words. disappointed 1. The fact that the reward was deferred made me feel ______________. Your dog eating your homework is not a good reason for your 2. _____________________________ assignment being late. “win or lose, but never fail!” 3. The girls’ soccer team voted on a new motto: _________________________


➡

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Writing Link Letter Remind students of the discussion they had about the special perspective Wynton Marsalis, as a jazz musician, brought to his letter. Using “Playing Jazz” as a model, have students write letters of their own in which they impart their knowledge of a topic that has special meaning to them to a younger person. If students have difficulty thinking of a topic for their letters, they can use the previous example of giving advice to a younger student about high school.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 205–234 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing monologues, soliloquies, and asides.


Reading: Analyzing causeand-effect relationships.

Talk About the Play Remind students that a play is a piece of writing meant to be acted before an audience. When they read a play, they have to use their imaginations to see the characters move and to hear their voices. They have to interpret the characters’ meanings and emotions. Explain that students are going to read only two scenes of a much longer play. Students will need to pay special attention to background information and other explanations given in their books.

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Inform students that although William Shakespeare is considered one of the world’s great writers, he did write over four hundred years ago. His language sounds different from ours because the English language was different in Shakespeare’s time. Today, even experienced readers can have difficulty reading Shakespeare. Give students permission not to understand every word and every sentence. Tell them to read for the general meaning and to make use of the sidenotes on the pages facing the text to understand vocabulary and sentence meanings.

Act 2 Scene 1 by William Shakespeare

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1

205-234_G10_APP_JuliusCaesar.ind205 205

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Play Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Usage • Academic Vocabulary Language Note • African American Vernacular English

Literary Element • Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides

Fluency • Intonation and Pacing: Smooth Reading

Reading Strategy • Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships

BLM Word Study • Figurative Language: Similes and Metaphors BLM

Writing Link • Dramatic Scene

BLM Grammar Link • Locating the Subject BLM



205

Before You Read

Before You Read

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Act 2 Scene 1

Connect to the Play What makes a good leader? Who is the best leader that you have known or that you know about? A leader may be anyone—from the head of an informal group to the head of a nation. Think about leaders you have known and then complete the following sentence frames.

Connect to the Play To help students think about leaders, suggest a person in your school or community that students know and respect. As a class, discuss what that leader does and what makes him or her a good leader. Then have students complete the sentence prompts with their own choices.

Possible response: is honest and fair and cares more about people or a cause than 1. A good leader is one who ___________________________________________________________________________ about himself or herself. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Students may cite a contemporary leader or one from the past, such as 2. The best leader I know about is ______________________________________________________________________ Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, or Martin Luther King, Jr. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Students should mention qualities that are specific to the chosen leader and his or 3. This leader is best because __________________________________________________________________________ her accomplishments. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background Build Background

Ask: What do you know about Julius Caesar? What do you know about ancient Rome? (Students’ knowledge may be limited to bits of information picked up from movies or television.) On a classroom map, help students locate Rome, Italy, Spain, France, and the Mediterranean Sea, all mentioned in Build Background.

Read these events that lead up to the time of the play. Then answer the question that follows.

Inform students that Rome in Caesar’s time was not a democratic government, such as the United States has. Throughout its long history, Rome had several different types of government and different kinds of leaders, some good and some bad.

•

At the time of the play, Rome controlled great territories, including most of the countries on the Mediterranean Sea.

•

Julius Caesar contributed to Rome’s territory by conquering parts of what are now Spain and France.

•

Caesar defeated his major rival, Pompey, who was murdered soon afterwards.

•

Caesar then made himself dictator, or absolute ruler, of Rome.

•

As dictator, Caesar undertook widespread and popular social and political reforms.

•

A group of politicians became fearful of Caesar’s popularity and power, and conspired, or plotted, to get rid of him.

How do you think these politicians will “get rid of” Julius Caesar? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible answer: They may try to kill him, because killing seems to be a usual way of getting rid of unwanted ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ leaders. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading Explain that the word conspire means “to plot or to make plans.” Often this word is used to refer to secret plans to overthrow a government. A conspirator is a person who makes such plans, and a conspiracy is a group of these people or the secret plan they are making.

Set Purposes for Reading In Act 1 of his play, Shakespeare presents the start of a conspiracy against Caesar. In Act 2, read to find out how the conspirators persuade Brutus to join them in their plot against Caesar and how he actually persuades himself.

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Literary Element

Before You Read


In addition to dialogue (conversations involving two or more characters), dramatists make use of other types of speeches: •

A monologue (mon´ ə lôg´ -log´) is a long speech by a character.

•

A soliloquy (sə lil´ ə kwe) is a monologue delivered while a character is alone on stage. In a soliloquy, a character speaks his or her thoughts out loud.

•

An aside is a comment that a character makes to the audience.

Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides

Discuss with a partner about what sorts of things a character might talk about out loud when there is no one around to hear. Write your response on the lines below. Possible response: A character might talk about his secret desires and fears. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Explain that in a novel, an author can include a character’s thoughts as well as his or her words and actions. Some movies have narrators, or voice-overs, who tell characters’ thoughts. It isn’t possible to do that on stage, however. So sometimes a playwright will have a character voice his or her thoughts so the audience knows what’s going on. It may not always seem natural, but it’s one of the things about stage plays that we simply accept.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships One action often leads to another. What happens is an effect, and what makes it happen is a cause. A cause may have more than one effect, and an effect may have more than one cause. 1. What might cause a person to go out of control and use his or her power to harm others? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible response: A person might think about how to get more power and worry about other people trying _________________________________________________________________________________________________ to take his or her power for themselves. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What effect might such a misuse of power have upon others? Write your answer on the lines below.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships

Possible response: People could become resentful and worried about their freedom or even their lives. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Vocabulary

Usage

Read each word and its definition at the right. Then use these words to fill in the blanks in the sentences below. 1. Clouds began to build up, but then a strong wind came along disperse to ________________ them. commend 2. The principal took the stage to ________________ all the participants in the spelling bee.

Ask for volunteers to stage a simple chain of causes and effects; for example, one person drops a book, which causes a second person to pick it up, which causes the first person to say thanks, and so on. As a class, discuss what are the causes and what the effects, and how an effect can, in turn, become a cause.

Vocabulary interim (inʼ tər im) n. the space of time that exists between events commend (kə mendʼ) v. to speak highly of; to praise disperse (dis pursʼ) v. to break up and send in different directions; to scatter

interim 3. In the ________________ between acts, playgoers eagerly gathered in the lobby to discuss the play.



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary follow the routine below. Define: An interim is a space of time after one thing stops and another starts. Example: Mr. Su had to call the maintenance man to fix the DVD player, so in the interim he explained to the class how the film was made. Ask: What is an example of an interim in activities that you are involved in? EXAMPLE

When you commend someone, you pay that person a compliment or praise him or her for doing a good job. Mrs. Gray believed that it was better to commend her children than to scold them. How does the word scold contrast with the word commend? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

When any number of things or people disperse, they break up and go off in different directions. Arlene liked to sit in her window and watch the crowds disperse after a game in the stadium across the street. Describe how students in your school disperse at the end of a school day. DESCRIPTION


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The Tr agedy of


Julius Caesar Act 2 Scene 1 Character Key


Characters in Julius Caesar julius caesar (joolʼ yəs sēʼ zər) military leader and politician; the most powerful man in Rome

Brutus’s Household


brutus (brooʼ təs) a senator of Rome portia (pôrʼ shə) Brutus’s wife lucius (looʼ shəs) Brutus’s young servant

If students have trouble responding, remind them of the meanings of conspire, conspirator, and conspiracy.

Conspirators Against Caesar Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships What you can guess about the political situation in the play, based on this character key? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: A conspiracy _______________________________ appears to lead to Caesar’s _______________________________ assassination and change of _______________________________ leadership. _______________________________ _______________________________

caius cassius (kı̄ʼ əs kaʼ shəs) a senator, and Brutus’s brother-in-law casca (kasʼ kə) a senator decius brutus (desʼ ē əs brooʼ təs) a senator cinna (sinʼ nə) a senator metellus cimber (met əlʼ əs simʼ bər) a senator trebonius (tre bōnʼ ē əs) a senator caius ligarius (kı̄ʼ əs lı̄ gärʼ ē əs) a senator

The Second Triumvirate, Rulers of Rome after Caesar’s death mark antony (märk anʼ tə nē) friend of Caesar octavius caesar (äk tāvʼ ē əs sēʼ zər) Caesar’s grandnephew and political heir lepidus (lepʼ ə dəs) Caesar’s lieutenant

_______________________________ _______________________________

cicero (sisʼ ə rōʼ), senator

_______________________________

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Preview The chart on page 208 provides you with a variety of information about the play Julius Caesar. Previewing this material can help prepare you to read the play. When you preview a chart, you look at text features such as the title and headings. What does the title tell you about the purpose of this chart? Write your answer on the lines below. The title shows that this chart identifies the characters in these scenes __________________________________________________________________ from Julius Caesar. __________________________________________________________________

What do the headings show about the groups into which the characters are divided? Write your answer on the lines below. The headings show that most of the characters are divided into three __________________________________________________________________ main groups—Brutus’s Household; the Conspirators Against Caesar; and __________________________________________________________________ the Second Triumvirate, rulers after Caesar’s death. __________________________________________________________________

Skim the entries to get a sense of what kind of information they provide. Make a check in the box next to any of the following statements that are correct. ✓ The entries show who the characters are. ■ ✓ The entries show how to pronounce characters’ names. ■ ■ The entries show what the characters’ names mean. ✓ The entries show how some characters are related to each other. ■



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209



It is early in the morning on March 15, 44 b.c. The day before, a soothsayer, or prophet, called out to Julius Caesar as he passed in the street, “Beware the ides (the 15th) of March!” Caesar ignored him. Soon after, a group of senators met to discuss their fears that the Senate would make Caesar a king. If that happened, they were sure Caesar would not be able to resist the temptation to misuse his power, making them little better than slaves. The only way to prevent this, they decided, is to kill Caesar. They want to bring Brutus to their cause, however, because he is “noble” and so popular that the people will believe that whatever he does, he does for the good of Rome. They plan to send Brutus a number of anonymous letters and then go to visit him. That night, a terrible storm rages, and people report all sorts of omens—meteors, lightning, men on fire, and a lion walking the streets—all signs of evil to come.

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides

ACT 2

If students are having difficulty, help them see whom Brutus is addressing in this speech. Model Just before Brutus begins to speak, Lucius exits, so Brutus is alone on the stage. I remember from the definition on page 207 that a speech delivered while a character is alone on stage is a soliloquy.

5

Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides In line 10 Brutus begins a long speech. Draw a bracket that shows where this speech ends and what lines are in it. What kind of speech is it? How can you tell? Write your answer on the lines below.

10

15

It is a soliloquy. Brutus is alone _______________________________ on stage. _______________________________ _______________________________

20

SCENE 1. BRUTUS’S garden. The ides of March. [Enter BRUTUS in his orchard.] brutus. What, Lucius, ho! I cannot, by the progress° of the stars, Give guess how near to day. Lucius, I say! I would it were my fault° to sleep so soundly. When, Lucius, when? Awake, I say! What, Lucius! [Enter LUCIUS.] lucius. Call’d you, my lord? brutus. Get me a taper° in my study, Lucius. When it is lighted, come and call me here. lucius. I will, my lord. [Exit LUCIUS.] [ brutus. It must be by his death;° and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn° at him, But for the general.° He would be crown’d: How that might change his nature, there’s the question. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,° And that craves° wary walking. Crown him that,° And then I grant we put a sting in him That at his will he may do danger with. Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins Remorse from power;° and, to speak truth of Caesar, I have not known when his affections° sway’d

_______________________________ _______________________________

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2 progress: position. 4 I would . . . fault: I wish it were my weakness.

7 taper: candle.

10 his death: Caesar’s death. 11 spurn: strike out. 12 the general: the public good. 14 adder: poisonous snake. 15 craves: demands. Crown him that: If we crown him.

18–19 Th’ abuse . . . power: Greatness is misused when it separates mercy from power. 20 affections: feelings, desires.



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Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships Brutus describes a person climbing the ladder of success. What is often the effect when that person reaches the top? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: He looks in _______________________________

25

30

the clouds and forgets how he _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships If students have difficulty, Ask: Why do you think we refer to a “ladder of success”? (To many people, success means to be at the top of whatever it is you’re doing.) Where do you start out climbing a ladder? (at the bottom) Where do you end up when you climb a ladder? (at the top) Why might someone at the top forget how he or she got there? (Such a person might not want to remember early struggles.)

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships If students have difficulty, Ask: When you see a snake, is your first impulse to kill it? Why or why not? Are all snakes dangerous? What are some examples of dangerous animals that you would kill, if you could? Explain that Brutus sees Caesar as a snake that could become dangerous.

got there. _______________________________ _______________________________ 35

_______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships Brutus fears that Caesar may behave like a serpent, or dangerous snake. What action does he think is necessary to prevent this effect? Write your answer on the lines below.

40

45

Possible response: Caesar _______________________________ should be killed before he _______________________________

50

turns dangerous. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

55

More than his reason. But ’tis a common proof° That lowliness° is young ambition’s ladder, Whereto the climber upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round,° He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend. So Caesar may; Then lest he may, prevent.° And since the quarrel Will bear no color for the thing he is, Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented, Would run to these and these extremities;° And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, Which hatch’d, would as his kind grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell.] [Enter LUCIUS.] lucius. The taper burneth in your closet,° sir. Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper thus seal’d up, and I am sure It did not lie there when I went to bed. [Gives him the letter.] brutus. Get you to bed again, it is not day. Is not tomorrow, boy, the [ides] of March? lucius. I know not, sir. brutus. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. lucius. I will, sir. [Exit.] brutus. The exhalations° whizzing in the air Give so much light that I may read by them. [Opens the letter and reads.] “Brutus, thou sleep’st; awake, and see thyself! Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress!”° “Brutus, thou sleep’st; awake.” Such instigations° have been often dropp’d Where I have took them up. “Shall Rome, etc.” Thus must I piece it out:° Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe? What, Rome? My ancestors did from the streets of Rome The Tarquin° drive when he was call’d a king. “Speak, strike, redress!” Am I entreated To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise, If the redress will follow, thou receivest Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus!° [Enter LUCIUS.]

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Fluency Intonation and Pacing: Smooth Reading Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on reading the passage ahead of time to practice reading smoothly, rather than word by word. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo, and give students time to read the passage silently. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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21 a common proof: a common occurrence. 22 lowliness: humility. 24 upmost round: top rung.


28 Then lest . . . prevent: Let us act in advance to prevent it. 28–31 since the quarrel . . . extremities: Since our complaints are not supported by Caesar’s present behavior, we will have to put our case the following way: if given more power, Caesar’s nature would lead him to such and such extremes.

35 closet: small private room.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships What is the cause of Brutus’s being able to read the letter in the darkness of night? Write your answer on the lines below.


Possible response: There _______________________________

Encourage students to use the sidenotes to help them with the meaning of words, phrases, and passages. Ask: What are the “exhalations” Brutus refers to in line 44? (meteors)

are exhalations, or meteors, _______________________________ whizzing in the air. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ 44 exhalations: meteors.


_______________________________

47 redress: correct a wrong.

Reading Strategy 49 instigations: letters urging action. 51 piece it out: fill in the gaps in meaning.

If students have trouble: Model Brutus is a member of a family with a long tradition of patriotic service to Rome. He mentions here that one of his ancestors overthrew the last king of Rome. So clearly, Brutus will do any thing he can to keep Rome from being ruled again by one man.

Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships What effect have the anonymous letters had upon Brutus? Write your answer on the lines below.

54 Tarquin (tärʼ kwin): the last king of Rome, driven out by Lucius Junius Brutus. 55–58 Speak, strike . . . Brutus: Brutus vows that Rome’s petition for redress will be granted if it can be done through his words and actions.

Possible response: He says that _______________________________ if he can do anything to help _______________________________ Rome, he will do it. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________



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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1 60


Vocabulary interim (inʼ tər im) n. the space of time that exists between events

65

Vocabulary Skill

Vocabulary Usage If students have trouble responding: Model Whenever I have participated in any kind of theater, I find that I remain fairly calm during both the rehearsal period and the actual performances. It’s during the interim between the final rehearsal and opening night that I get really nervous.

Usage Brutus says that the interim between an idea and its action is like a bad dream. Many actions in life contain some sort of interim. What are some examples from your daily life of actions that contain interims? Write your answer on the lines below.

70

Possible responses may ______________________________ include tests, athletic ______________________________

75

competitions, theatrical ______________________________ performances, and school ______________________________ elections. ______________________________ 80

85

90

lucius. Sir, March is wasted fifteen days. [Knock within.] brutus. ’Tis good. Go to the gate, somebody knocks. [Exit LUCIUS.] Since Cassius first did whet° me against Caesar, I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion,° all the interim is Like a phantasma,° or a hideous dream. The Genius and the mortal instruments° Are then in council, and the state of a man, Like to a little kingdom, suffers then The nature of an insurrection.° [Enter LUCIUS.] lucius. Sir, ’tis your brother° Cassius at the door, Who doth desire to see you. brutus. Is he alone? lucius. No, sir, there are moe° with him. brutus. Do you know them? lucius. No, sir; their hats are pluck’d about their ears, And half their faces buried in their cloaks, That by no means I may discover° them By any mark of favor.° brutus. Let ’em enter. [Exit LUCIUS.] They are the faction. O Conspiracy, Sham’st thou° to show thy dang’rous brow by night, When evils are most free? O then, by day Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, Conspiracy; Hide it in smiles and affability; For if thou path, thy native semblance° on, Not Erebus° itself were dim enough To hide thee from prevention.° [Enter the conspirators, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS, and TREBONIUS.] cassius. I think we are too bold upon° your rest. Good morrow,° Brutus, do we trouble you? brutus. I have been up this hour, awake all night. Know I these men that come along with you? cassius. Yes, every man of them; and no man here But honors you; and every one doth wish

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Word Study

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BLM

Figurative Language: Similes and Metaphors Remind students that a simile is a comparison of two basically unlike things using like or as. A metaphor is a comparison without using like or as. The use of such figurative language may help readers or listeners understand a speaker’s point better or visualize it more clearly. For example, Brutus’s comparison “the state of a man, like to a little kingdom, suffers then the nature of an insurrection” (lines 67–70) is a simile. His comparison “lowliness is young ambition’s ladder” (line 22) is a metaphor. Tell students that when they find such comparisons they should think about what qualities of the two things are similar, and how understanding one helps understand the other. Then have students practice analyzing similes and metaphors by completing the activity on page A26.

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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1 61 whet: incite.

64 motion: prompting. 65 phantasma: nightmare. 66 Genius . . . instruments: the mental and physical powers that allow someone to take action. 67–69 the state . . . insurrection: Brutus compares his conflicted state of mind to a kingdom paralyzed by civil unrest.

70 brother: brother-in-law. (Cassius is married to Brutus’s sister, Junia.)

Read and Discuss


With a partner, read aloud Brutus’s soliloquy in lines 61–69. Talk about how Brutus feels “between the acting of a dreadful thing” and the first idea of doing it. Share with your partner how you feel in the time after you know you have to do something difficult and the time you actually do it. Why do you think people feel this way? Write your answer on the lines below.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students have difficulty, Ask: When you have trouble, or when you are worried about something, do you sleep well? What does Brutus say is keeping him from sleep? (He is worried about Cassius’s suggestion that Caesar must be killed.)

72 moe: more.

Possible response: Before ____________________________ you try something difficult, ____________________________ 75 discover: identify. 76 favor: appearance.

there is always the chance ____________________________ you will fail, and that makes ____________________________ the waiting harder. ____________________________

78 Sham’st thou: Are you ashamed?

83 path . . . semblance: go about undisguised. 84 Erebus (erʼ ə bəs): in classical mythology, the dark place through which the dead pass on their way to Hades, the underworld. 85 prevention: discovery. 86 too bold upon: intruding upon. 87 morrow: morning.



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Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships If students have trouble responding, Ask: When the conspirators arrive at Brutus’s house, has he made his final decision to join them? (apparently not, since he seems to be still uncertain about what he should do) What does Brutus do in line 112 after speaking with Cassius? (He asks for all the other men’s hands.) What does this appear to signify? (that he has decided to join their conspiracy) What seems then to have been the purpose of Cassius’s private talk with Brutus just before? (to persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy)

Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships During lines 101–111, Cassius and Brutus have a private conversation. Analyze the cause and effect of this conversation by completing the sentence frames below.

100

105

Cassius takes Brutus aside to talk

he wants to persuade because _______________________ Brutus to join them ______________________________ . The effect of their private talk is

110

You had but that opinion of yourself Which every noble Roman bears of you. This is Trebonius. brutus. He is welcome hither. cassius. This, Decius Brutus. brutus. He is welcome too. cassius. This, Casca; this, Cinna; and this, Metellus Cimber. brutus. They are all welcome. What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night?° cassius. Shall I entreat a word? [They whisper.] decius. Here lies the east; doth not the day break here? casca. No. cinna. O, pardon, sir, it doth; and yon gray lines That fret° the clouds are messengers of day. casca. You shall confess that you are both deceiv’d. Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises, Which is a great way growing on the south, Weighing the youthful season of the year. Some two months hence, up higher toward the north He first presents his fire, and the high east Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.° brutus. Give me your hands all over,° one by one.

agrees to join the that Brutus ___________________________ conspiracy ______________________________ .

READING CHECK Clarify Brutus has now decided to join the conspiracy. Earlier, in line 80–85, how does he feel that conspirators should act to conceal their purpose? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible response: They should smile and act friendly; ______________________________________________________ otherwise people will discover their plans. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify If students are having difficulty responding, Ask: Would you feel more threat from someone with a smiling, friendly face or someone with a frowning, angry face? If the conspirators are smiling, how will Caesar react to them? (He will not fear them.) Remind students that if they have difficulty understanding a passage, they can sometimes clarify, or clear up, its meaning by rereading it. With Shakespeare especially, it may be helpful to sort out the sentence structure of a passage. Explain that Shakespeare’s writing has many examples of words out of their usual or expected order. For example, “Know I these men” (line 89) means simply “Do I know these men . . . ?”

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98–99 What watchful . . . night: What cares keep you awake?

104 fret: interlace. 106–111 Here, as I . . . directly here: Casca insists that in the early spring the sun rises south of the spot pointed out by Decius and Cinna; it will rise farther north in about two months.

112 all over: all of you.



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217



Read and Discuss 115

With a partner, reread what Brutus has to say about the conspirators’ taking an oath. Discuss why people swear oaths to each other or to causes. What should happen to people who break oaths they have taken?


120

Possible response: What ____________________________ happens to the people ____________________________


125

would depend on the ____________________________

If students have difficulty responding: Model Brutus seems to feel that preserving Rome from being ruled by Caesar is such an important cause that no oath should be necessary to bind the conspirators to fulfill what they have agreed to do. I suppose people swear oaths to give other people confidence. For example, a witness in a trial swears an oath to tell the truth. The penalty for breaking an oath should be in keeping with the seriousness of what the person has sworn to do. If a witness breaks an oath by lying he or she can be sent to jail.

seriousness of the oath. ____________________________ 130

135

140

145

150

cassius. And let us swear our resolution. brutus. No, not an oath. If not the face of men, The sufferance of our souls, the time’s abuse— If these be motives weak, break off betimes,° And every man hence to his idle bed. So let high-sighted° tyranny range on Till each man drop by lottery.° But if these (As I am sure they do) bear fire° enough To kindle cowards and to steel with valor The melting spirits of women, then, countrymen, What need we any spur but our own cause To prick° us to redress? What other bond Than secret Romans that have spoke the word And will not palter?° and what other oath Than honesty to honesty engag’d That this shall be, or we will fall for it?° Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous,° Old feeble carrions,° and such suffering souls That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear Such creatures as men doubt; but do not stain The even virtue of our enterprise, Nor th’ insuppressive mettle of our spirits, To think that or our cause or our performance Did need an oath;° when every drop of blood That every Roman bears, and nobly bears, Is guilty of a several bastardy,° If he do break the smallest particle Of any promise that hath pass’d from him.° cassius. But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him?° I think he will stand very strong with us. casca. Let us not leave him out. cinna. No, by no means. metellus. O, let us have him, for his silver hairs Will purchase us a good opinion, And buy men’s voices to commend our deeds. It shall be said his judgment rul’d our hands; Our youths and wildness shall no whit° appear, But all be buried in his gravity.° brutus. O, name him not! Let us not break with him,° For he will never follow anything That other men begin. cassius. Then leave him out.

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114–116 If not . . . betimes: The sadness in people’s faces, the suffering of our souls, the corruption of our age—if these are weak motives, let’s give up at once.


Vocabulary commend (kə mendʼ) v. to speak highly of; to praise

118 high-sighted: arrogant. 119 drop by lottery: die by chance (at Caesar’s whim). 120 bear fire: are spirited.

124 prick: spur.


Vocabulary Skill Usage Metellus thinks it is important that people commend what they do. Write a statement in which you commend something that a classmate has done. Write your answer on the lines below.

Vocabulary Usage

126 palter: waver; deceive. 126–128 what other oath . . . for it: What other oath is needed than that of honest men who have pledged to each other that they will prevail or die trying? 129 cautelous: wary; crafty.

Sample response: I would ______________________________

If students have difficulty, Ask: For what type of actions would you want to commend a teammate or a fellow performer? (Students might mention an excellent play in a game or a good performance in a show.)

like to commend you for the ______________________________

130 carrions: men no better than corpses.

great job you did in organizing ______________________________

132–136 do not stain . . . oath: Do not insult the steadfast virtue of our undertaking or the indomitable courage of our spirits to think that either our cause or our actions require an oath.

the fund-raising drive for our ______________________________ school trip. ______________________________

136–140 every drop . . . from him: Brutus claims that no one of true Roman blood would break a promise. 138 Is guilty . . . bastardy: is illegitimate. 141 sound him: find out his feelings.


Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships What type of person is Cicero? Do you agree with Brutus’s advice to the conspirators not to include Cicero in their plot? Write your answer on the lines below.

If student have trouble responding, Ask: What type of person never wants to join a group or participate in an activity unless he or she started the group or proposed the activity? (Students will probably be able to describe this type of bossy, self-important person.)

Possible response: Cicero is the _______________________________ 148 no whit: not in the least. 149 gravity: dignity. 150 break with him: reveal our plot to him.

sort of person always wants to _______________________________ run things. Brutus is probably _______________________________ right not to want him to be _______________________________ part of the conspiracy. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________



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219


The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1 Reading Strategy


Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships Why does Cassius think they ought to kill Mark Antony too? Write your answer on the lines below.

155

160

Possible answer: Mark Antony _______________________________ is Caesar’s friend. Cassius _______________________________

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships If students have trouble, have them review Cassius’s speech from lines 155–161. Ask: What do you think Cassius means by calling Mark Antony a “shrewd contriver”? (He means that he is a cunning plotter.) Why would this ability make him dangerous? (He could organize an effective plot against the conspirators.)

Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides If students have difficulty, review the definitions of monologue, soliloquy, and aside on page 207. Model your thinking to lead them through a process of elimination here: Model I see that Cassius is giving his speech to others, so it is not an aside or a soliloquy, but it is very short—only two lines—so it doesn’t really qualify as a monologue.

thinks he may try to harm the _______________________________

165

plotters in some way. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

170

_______________________________

175

Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides Is Cassius’s speech beginning “Yet I fear him . . .” (lines 183–184) a monologue? Check one box, and then explain your answer on the lines below. ■ Yes ✓ No ■

180

185

Possible answer: It is given to _______________________________ others, but it is a very short _______________________________ speech, not a long one. _______________________________ _______________________________

190

casca. Indeed, he is not fit. decius. Shall no man else be touch’d but only Caesar? cassius. Decius, well urg’d. I think it is not meet Mark Antony, so well belov’d of Caesar, Should outlive Caesar; we shall find of him A shrewd contriver; and you know, his means,° If he improve them,° may well stretch so far As to annoy us all; which to prevent, Let Antony and Caesar fall together. brutus. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius, To cut the head off and then hack the limbs–– Like wrath in death and envy afterwards;° For Antony is but a limb of Caesar. Let’s be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,° And in the spirit of men there is no blood. O that we then could come by° Caesar’s spirit, And not dismember Caesar! But, alas, Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends, Let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods, Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds; And let our hearts, as subtle masters do, Stir up their servants° to an act of rage, And after seem to chide ’em. This shall make Our purpose necessary, and not envious; Which so appearing to the common eyes, We shall be call’d purgers, not murderers. And for Mark Antony, think not of him; For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm When Caesar’s head is off. cassius. Yet I fear him, For in the ingrafted° love he bears to Caesar— brutus. Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him. If he love Caesar, all that he can do Is to himself—take thought and die° for Caesar. And that were much he should,° for he is given To sports, to wildness, and much company. trebonius. There is no fear in him;° let him not die, For he will live and laugh at this hereafter. [Clock strikes.]

_______________________________ _______________________________

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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1 Reading Strategy

158 means: abilities. 159 improve them: uses them fully.

164 Like wrath . . . afterwards: as if the killings were motivated by anger and malice.

Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships Sometimes an effect has more than one cause. What does Brutus claim is the effect of these causes? Write your answer in the box labeled “Effect.”


Cause: Antony likes sports.


167 the spirit of Caesar: what Caesar represents. 169 come by: get possession of.

If students have trouble, draw the chart on the board, and model the process. Model According to Brutus, Mark Antony spends most of his time amusing himself. A person like that is probably not going to be much of a threat to the conspirators.

Cause: Antony likes wild living.

176 servants: hands.

Cause: Antony likes company.

184 ingrafted: deep-rooted.

187 take thought and die: die from grief. 188 that were much he should: It is unlikely that he would do such a thing. 190 no fear in him: nothing to fear from him.

Effect: Possible answer: Antony is no danger to them.



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221



Read and Discuss With a partner, read aloud Decius’s speech in lines 202–211 about how he intends to persuade Caesar. Why does Decius take this approach? Do you think most people would react in a similar way? Why or why not? Write your answers on the lines below.


195

200

Possible response: Decius ____________________________


takes this approach because ____________________________ he knows Caesar likes to be ____________________________

If students have difficulty, Ask: What things does Decius equate with flattery? (various legendary tricks that hunters used to snare animals) Why does he tell Caesar he hates flatterers? (because it flatters Caesar to think he can see through such tricks)

205

told he is not affected by ____________________________ flattery. Most people would ____________________________ probably react the same ____________________________

210

way, because responding ____________________________ to flattery makes a person ____________________________

Vocabulary Usage If students have trouble, Ask: What might people suspect if the conspirators were seen going off together in a group? (that they were up to something)

seem weak and vain. ____________________________

215

Vocabulary disperse (dis pursʼ) v. to break up and send in different directions; to scatter

220

Vocabulary Skill Usage Cassius tells the other conspirators that they should disperse themselves. What does he want them to do and why?

He wants the conspirators to ______________________________ go off in different directions. ______________________________

225

brutus. Peace, count the clock. cassius. The clock hath stricken three. trebonius. ’Tis time to part. cassius. But it is doubtful yet Whether Caesar will come forth today or no; For he is superstitious grown of late, Quite from the main opinion° he held once Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies.° It may be these apparent prodigies, The unaccustom’d terror of this night, And the persuasion of his augurers° May hold him from the Capitol today. decius. Never fear that. If he be so resolv’d, I can o’ersway him; for he loves to hear That unicorns may be betray’d with trees, And bears with glasses, elephants with holes, Lions with toils, and men with flatterers;° But when I tell him he hates flatterers He says he does, being then most flattered. Let me work; For I can give his humor the true bent,° And I will bring him to the Capitol. cassius. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him. brutus. By the eight hour; is that the uttermost?° cinna. Be that the uttermost, and fail not then. metellus. Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard,° Who rated° him for speaking well of Pompey. I wonder none of you have thought of him. brutus. Now, good Metellus, go along by him. He loves me well, and I have given him reasons; Send him but hither, and I’ll fashion° him. cassius. The morning comes upon ’s; we’ll leave you, Brutus. And, friends, disperse yourselves; but all remember What you have said, and show yourselves true Romans. brutus. Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily; Let not our looks put on our purposes, But bear it as our Roman actors do, With untir’d spirits and formal constancy.° And so good morrow to you every one. [They exit. BRUTUS remains.]

If______________________________ they are not seen together, there is less chance people will ______________________________ suspect they are plotting. ______________________________

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196 Quite from the main opinion: contrary to the strong opinion. 197 ceremonies: omens.

200 augurers: religious officials who interpreted omens to predict future events.

203–206 for he loves . . . flatterers: Decius refers to legends that the mythical unicorn could be tricked into charging a tree and getting its horn stuck, and that bears can be lured by mirrors. He also refers to trapping elephants in pits and using nets to catch lions, and tricking men with flattery.

210 give his . . . bent: put him in the right mood.

213 uttermost: latest. 215 bear Caesar hard: strongly resents Caesar. 216 rated: rebuked.

220 fashion: persuade.

224–227 look fresh . . . constancy: Brutus warns the others not to let their serious expressions show their intentions; they should carry out their plot appearing at ease and dignified.



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223



230

Literary Element

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides If students have trouble, have them review the list of characters on page 208. Ask: Who is Lucius? (Brutus’s young servant) Why might such a person sleep soundly? (He is young and has few responsibilities or worries to disturb his sleep.) To help them grasp the construction of Brutus’s speech, point out line 231, “Thou hast no”. Model I know that means “you have no.” No what? (figures or fantasies) That must mean imaginary creatures that cause fear. Where do they come from? (“busy care draws [them] in the brains of men”)

Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides Beginning in line 230, Brutus talks to Lucius as if he were there. According to Brutus, why is Lucius able to sleep so soundly? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: Lucius has _______________________________

235

240

no worries or bad dreams. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

245

_______________________________

250

Boy! Lucius! Fast asleep? It is no matter, Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber. Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies, Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. [Enter PORTIA.] portia. Brutus, my lord! brutus. Portia! what mean you? wherefore rise you now? It is not for your health thus to commit Your weak condition to the raw cold morning. portia. Nor for yours neither. Y’have ungently,° Brutus, Stole from my bed; and yesternight at supper You suddenly arose and walk’d about, Musing and sighing, with your arms across;° And when I ask’d you what the matter was, You star’d upon me with ungentle looks. I urg’d you further; then you scratch’d your head, And too impatiently stamp’d with your foot. Yet I insisted, yet you answer’d not, But with an angry wafter° of your hand Gave sign for me to leave you. So I did, Fearing to strengthen that impatience Which seem’d too much enkindled, and withal° Hoping it was but an effect of humor,°

READING CHECK Summarize These men are planning to murder their ruler. How does Brutus tell them they should behave as they are doing it? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible response: They should not behave as if they were ______________________________________________________ going to commit murder. They should look cheerful in order ______________________________________________________ to disguise what they are about to do. They should behave ______________________________________________________ like actors. ______________________________________________________

224


Reading Check Summarize If students have difficulty, Ask: How does Brutus tell the others they should look? (“fresh and merrily”) Model your thinking to interpret Brutus’s next sentence. Model Brutus says, “Let not our looks”; that means “Don’t let our looks.” Then he adds, “put on our purposes”; that must mean “show our purposes.” The speech says, in effect, that the men should put on an act “as our Roman actors do.”

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237 ungently: discourteously.

240 across: folded.


Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides Portia begins a speech in line 237. What kind of speech is it? How can you tell? Write your answer on the lines below.


Possible answer: It is a _______________________________ 246 wafter: waving.

If students have difficulty, Ask: Is Portia thinking out loud or speaking to another character? (She is speaking to another character, Brutus.) Is her speech short or long? (fairly long) What do these two characteristics indicate? (Her speech is a monologue.)

monologue, because it is a _______________________________ long speech addressed to _______________________________

249 withal: also.

another character. _______________________________

250 but an . . . humor: only a passing mood.



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Language Note African American Vernacular English: The Negative System Explain that many nonstandard varieties of English use several negatives in a sentence where a single negative meaning is intended (Nobody never did nothing wrong). The additional negatives with no, never, and neither appear where standard academic English has any, ever, and either. In this system, the negatives reinforce each other rather than cancel each other out. (Portia’s speech, “Nor for yours neither, ” in line 237 is an example of this use of a double negative.) Remind students who are trying to master standard academic English to use any, ever, and either after a negative word.


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Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships When Portia asks Brutus why he is acting strangely, what does he say is the cause? Why do you think he says this? Write your answers on the lines below.

Possible response: He tells _______________________________

260

265

her he is not feeling well. He _______________________________

If students have trouble, Ask: What can you tell about the relationship between Brutus and Portia? (They care a great deal for each other.) How might Brutus respond to Portia’s concern for him? (by a desire to spare her worry)

doesn’t want her to worry. _______________________________ 270

275

280

285

290

Which sometimes hath his° hour with every man. It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep, And could it work so much upon your shape As it hath much prevail’d on your condition, I should not know you Brutus.° Dear my lord, Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. brutus. I am not well in health, and that is all. portia. Brutus is wise and, were he not in health, He would embrace the means to come by it. brutus. Why, so I do. Good Portia, go to bed. portia. Is Brutus sick, and is it physical° To walk unbraced and suck up the humors Of the dank morning?° What, is Brutus sick, And will he steal out of his wholesome bed, To dare the vile contagion of the night, And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air° To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus; You have some sick offense° within your mind, Which by the right and virtue of my place,° I ought to know of; and upon my knees I charm you, by my once commended beauty, By all your vows of love, and that great vow Which did incorporate and make us one, That you unfold to me, yourself, your half, Why you are heavy, and what men tonight Have had resort to you; for here have been Some six or seven, who did hide their faces Even from darkness. brutus. Kneel not, gentle Portia. portia. I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus. Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, Is it excepted I should know no secrets That appertain to you? Am I your self But, as it were, in sort or limitation,° To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs° Of your good pleasure? If it be no more, Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife. brutus. You are my true and honorable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart.

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251 his: its. 253–255 And could . . . Brutus: And if it could change your appearance as much as it has changed your state of mind, I would not recognize you as Brutus.

Interactive Question-Response 261 physical: healthy. 262–263 humors . . . morning: damp morning mist.

266 tempt the . . . air: risk the damp and impure air. (It was believed that the night air was dangerous to breathe because it wasn’t purified by the sun’s rays.) 268 sick offense: harmful disorder. 269 by the right . . . place: as your wife.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships Portia doesn’t accept his answer. What does she say is wrong instead? Put a check in the box next to the best answer below. ■ He does not respect her. ✓ He has some great worry in his ■ mind. ■ His illness makes it painful for him to talk. ■ He is afraid of being overheard.

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships If students have difficulty, have them complete this sentence: “You say you’re sick, but is it healthy to _______?” (be out in the cold and damp) Ask: How do you know she doesn’t accept his answer? (“No, my Brutus . . .”) Where does she say his sickness lies? (“within your mind”)

Read and Discuss

283 in sort or limitation: after a fashion or within limits. 285 suburbs: outskirts.

With a partner, read aloud Portia’s argument in lines 279–302. Brutus should tell her his problems, she says, because she is his wife. Discuss whether you think that is a good reason. That is, should a person share everything with a husband or wife just because they are married? Write your response on the lines below.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students have trouble: Model given what we know about the relationship between Brutus and Portia, I think that this should be a strong argument. Whether that means that every married couple should share everything, I’m not so sure.

Possible response: Every ____________________________ marriage is different: some ____________________________ relationships might require ____________________________ the partners to share ____________________________ everything; other marriages ____________________________ might not. ____________________________



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227



Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides If students have trouble, Ask: How can you tell to whom Brutus is talking? (He says, “Oh ye gods.”)

300

Literary Element Monologues, Soliloquies, and Asides To whom does Brutus make this aside? Write your answer on the lines below.

305

Possible answer: He is not _______________________________ talking to Portia, but to the _______________________________ gods. _______________________________

310

315

320

325

portia. If this were true, then should I know this secret. I grant I am a woman; but withal A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife. I grant I am a woman; but withal A woman well reputed, Cato’s daughter.° Think you I am no stronger than my sex, Being so father’d and so husbanded? Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose ’em. I have made strong proof of my constancy, Giving myself a voluntary wound Here, in the thigh;° can I bear that with patience, And not my husband’s secrets? brutus. O ye gods! Render me worthy of this noble wife! [Knock.] Hark, hark, one knocks. Portia, go in a while, And by and by thy bosom shall partake The secrets of my heart. All my engagements I will construe° to thee, All the charactery of my sad brows.° Leave me with haste. [Exit PORTIA.] Lucius, who’s that knocks? [Enter LUCIUS and CAIUS LIGARIUS.] lucius. Here is a sick man that would speak with you. brutus. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. Boy, stand aside. [Exit LUCIUS.] Caius Ligarius, how?° caius. Vouchsafe° good morrow from a feeble tongue. brutus. O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius, To wear a kerchief!° Would you were not sick! caius. I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand Any exploit worthy the name of honor. brutus. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, Had you a healthful ear to hear of it. caius. By all the gods that Romans bow before, I here discard my sickness! Soul of Rome! Brave son, deriv’d from honorable loins! Thou, like an exorcist,° hast conjur’d up My mortified° spirit. Now bid me run, And I will strive with things impossible,

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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1 295 Cato’s daughter: Portia’s father, Marcus Porcius Cato, killed himself rather than submit to Caesar’s rule after Pompey was defeated.


299–301 I have made . . . thigh: Portia reveals that she intentionally cut her thigh before approaching Brutus to show her strong determination.


Reading Strategy 307 construe: explain. 308 charactery of . . . brows: what is written in my sad brows (the reasons I am sad).

Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships What is Brutus telling Portia here? Why do you think he tells her this? Write your answers on the lines below.

If students have difficulty, Ask: What does Brutus mean by construe in line 307? If necessary, point out the sidenote: (“explain”) What does Brutus tell Portia he will explain to her? (what has been occupying him (“my engagements”) and why he has seemed so serious (“the charactery of my sad brows”).

Possible response: Brutus _______________________________ promises to tell her what is _______________________________ 312 how: how are you?

troubling him. He does this _______________________________

313 Vouchsafe: Please accept.

both to reassure her and to get _______________________________ 315 kerchief: a scarf (wrapped around an ill person’s head to protect against drafts).

her to leave him alone. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

323 exorcist: one who summons up spirits. 324 mortified: deadened.



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Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships What effect does Caius claim Brutus has had upon him? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible answer: He has made _______________________________ Caius well by getting rid of that _______________________________ which made him sick. _______________________________

330

Yea, get the better of them. What’s to do? brutus. A piece of work that will make sick men whole. caius. But are not some whole that we must make sick? brutus. That must we also. What it is, my Caius, I shall unfold to thee, as we are going To whom it must be done.° caius. Set on your foot.° And with a heart new-fir’d I follow you, To do I know not what; but it sufficeth That Brutus leads me on. [Thunder.] brutus. Follow me, then. [They exit.]

Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships If students have difficulty, Ask: What does Caius say to indicate that he is well now? (“I here discard my sickness.”) How has Brutus healed him? Model an answer, referring to the sidenote as needed. Model Caius says that like one who heals by calling up spirits, Brutus has brought his spirit back from death.

READING CHECK Clarify In lines 331–334, Caius tells Brutus that he will follow him. Does Caius know what Brutus is leading him to? Why does Caius say he will follow Brutus? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible answer: He says he doesn’t know, but he has ______________________________________________________ already hinted at “the name of honor.” He says that Brutus ______________________________________________________ himself is enough reason to follow. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Clarify Help students understand the exchange between Brutus and Caius by pointing out that they are using a complex comparison (or extended metaphor). On the board, write Sick and Well (“Whole”). Ask students to supply the various meanings of these words that Brutus and Caius are using throughout. (Under Sick: poor in health, low in spirit, dead, enslaved; under Well: healthy, in good spirits, free, alive) Ask: In order to make sick men (the people of Rome) well, what must they do to Caesar? (make him “sick”; that is, kill him)

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Reading Strategy

330–331 I shall . . . done: They are going to Caesar’s house to escort him to the Capitol. 331 Set on your foot: Go ahead.

Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships According to Brutus, what will be the effect of the “piece of work” that they will do? Write your answer on the lines below.


Possible answer: It will make _______________________________ sick men whole. _______________________________


According to Caius, what is another effect of that same “piece of work”? What does he mean? Write your answer on the lines below.

If students have difficulty, make sure they understand Caius’s question in line 328: “Aren’t there some healthy (“whole”) people that we must make sick?”

Possible answer: It will make _______________________________ some whole men sick. Caesar _______________________________ will die. _______________________________



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231

After You Read

The Tr agedy of

After You Read

Julius Caesar

Act 2 Scene 1

Connect to the Play

Julius Caesar is a play about power—who has it, and who wants it. Use the sentence frames below to describe two examples of power in the play.

Connect to the Play

1. The conspirators are afraid that Caesar

Remind students that all these characters have lived their lives watching people come into power through various means—including war and murder. They are understandably fearful of someone who might repeat that pattern and misuse power to destroy others. Point out that the conspirators themselves are powerful men—they are senators of Rome—and may have used such means to get there. At any rate, they are not above murder to get what they want.

possible response: will misuse his powers if he becomes king _____________________________________________________________________________________________ . 2. The conspirators feel that Brutus’s influence with the people possible response: will make their murder plot seem to be for the good of Rome _____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

Literary Element


How do monologues, soliloquies, and asides differ? Use the sentence frames below to give your answers. other characters on stage A monologue is directed to _________________________________________________________________________ . one else is on stage A soliloquy is delivered when no _______________________________________________________________________ . the audience, or someone else not present An aside is directed to _____________________________________________________________________________ .


Reading Strategy Analyze Cause-and-Effect Relationships Remember that an effect may have more than one cause. What causes contribute to the effect shown? Write them in the three boxes labeled “Cause.”

Remind students that they can refer to page 207 if they need to review the definitions of these terms.

Cause Possible cause: Caesar already has a lot of power.


Effect The conspirators plan to kill Caesar.

Cause Possible cause: The conspirators fear that he will get more power if he is king.

Remind students that an effect is what happens, and a cause is why it happens. Sometimes an effect becomes the cause of another effect, and so on. The arrows are a helpful graphic because they point from the cause to the effect.

Cause Possible cause: The conspirators fear that Caesar will misuse his power.

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Locating the Subject Prepare students to complete the activity on page A27. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read

The Tr agedy of

After You Read

Julius Caesar

Act 2 Scene 1

Vocabulary interim

commend

disperse

Academic Vocabulary

A. Word Meaning Think about the meaning of the boldface vocabulary word as you read each sentence. Then circle the letter of the best answer to complete the statement.

Write the following sentence on the board: People in medieval Europe belonged to a hierarchy with the king on top and farm workers on the bottom.

1. In our house we like to play board games in the interim between Thanksgiving dinner and dessert. We play games a before dinner

b during dinner

c after dinner

2. The teacher thought that to commend her students often gave them strong motivation to work hard. The teacher gave her students a criticism

b praise

Tell students that hierarchy is an academic word, and that similar ideas include a chain of command in an army or church, social ranking, and classes of importance.

c extra assignments

3. The arrival of police cars at the accident scene caused the crowd of onlookers to disperse quickly. The crowd grew a restless

b larger

c smaller

Have students work in pairs to look up the word hierarchy in a dictionary. Then have the partners work together to write a description of a hierarchy they are familiar with, such as the “pecking order” in a school.

B. Word Usage Complete each of the following sentences to help you explore the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary words. 1. One way to fill the interim between two halves of a football game is to possible response: have the local school band play a concert __________________________________________________________________________________________ . 2. As president of the service club, I want to commend all the members who possible response: contributed baked goods to our annual money-raising bake sale __________________________________________________________________________________________ . 3. When the kitchen becomes smoky from burned food, you can disperse the smoke by possible response: opening the windows and door and turning on a fan __________________________________________________________________________________________ .



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Writing Link Dramatic Scene Have students imagine a dramatic scene between two characters who are in conflict about something. They can follow the pattern of Julius Caesar to write character names, speeches, and stage directions. Explain that it is difficult to develop much conflict in a brief scene but to try to resolve the conflict in under two pages. (One way to keep it brief might be to begin in the middle, when the conflict is already set up.) Tell students to work with partners to read their scenes aloud and to be prepared to share them with the class. An effective scene should • involve two characters in a conflict • resolve the conflict • use dramatic conventions • stay within the space limit The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1

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After You Read

The Tr agedy of

After You Read

Julius Caesar

Act 2 Scene 1

Character Web

Although the play is titled Julius Caesar, the main character in this scene is Brutus. We learn about characters from what they think, say, and do, and from the way other characters act toward them. Complete the character web below by filling in the ovals with details from the play. (You can tell what Brutus thinks from his soliloquies.) You can add more ovals if you need to.

Possible detail: He has no personal reason to want Caesar dead.

Possible detail: Caesar is like a snake that must be killed in the shell.

What he says

What he thinks

Possible detail: He agrees to join the conspirators.

Possible detail: Mark Antony should be spared.

Possible detail: They don’t need to swear an oath.

Character: Brutus

Possible detail: Conspirators honor him and want him to join them.

How other characters act toward him What he does

Possible detail: He brings Caius into the conspiracy.

Possible detail: Portia is concerned for his mental health.

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CA

Content Standards

Before You Read

For pages 235–246 Reading: 3.10 Identify and describe the function of dialogue, scene designs, soliloquies, asides, and character foils in dramatic literature.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Play Explain that students are going to skip several scenes in the play Julius Caesar and jump ahead in time. Remind them that the first scene they read was Act 2, Scene 1; now they are going to read Act 4, Scene 1. It’s a year and a half later, and many things have happened. Students will learn of them in Build Background. Explain that the characters who appeared in the earlier scene do not appear here, although some of them (Brutus and Cassius) are mentioned. Of the new characters that appear in this scene, Mark Antony was mentioned earlier. Review with students what the conspirators said about him. (Cassius advised them to kill him along with Caesar, but Brutus persuaded them not to because he would prove no danger to them.)

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar




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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Play

Literary Element • Foil



Reading Strategy • Make and Verify Predictions

Word Study • Homophones BLM

BLM



235

Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 235–246 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing plot. Reading: Making and verifying predictions.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Play Explain that students are going to skip several scenes in the play Julius Caesar and jump ahead in time. Remind them that the first scene they read was Act 2, Scene 1; now they are going to read Act 4, Scene 1. It’s a year and a half later, and many things have happened. Students will learn of them in Build Background. Explain that the characters who appeared in the earlier scene do not appear here, although some of them (Brutus and Cassius) are mentioned. Of the new characters that appear in this scene, Mark Antony was mentioned earlier. Review with students what the conspirators said about him. (Cassius advised them to kill him along with Caesar, but Brutus persuaded them not to because he would prove no danger to them.)

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar




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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Play

Literary Element • Foil



Reading Strategy • Make and Verify Predictions

Word Study • Homophones BLM

BLM



235

Before You Read

Before You Read

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Act 4 Scene 1

Connect to the Play By this point in the play, Caesar is dead, but the outcome has not been what Brutus hoped. Three of Caesar’s allies have taken power in his place. Suppose you were in a position to lead a country. Sharing power with you will be two other people. What qualities do you think would be important in your co-leaders? Think of three qualities that are important in leading and write these in the blanks below. Then explain why each quality is important in a leader.

Connect to the Play Ask: How do we generally choose our leaders in the United States? (We elect them democratically.) In your opinion, do we choose our leaders based solely on their experience and ability? What other things may influence our choices? (Students may answer that choosing for abilities may be the ideal, but often other factors—appearance, sex, ethnic background, religion, social class, money—have a powerful influence.)

response: energy response: because a Quality: possible ______________________________________________________ because possible ______________________________ leader has a lot to accomplish ____________________________________________________________________________________________________. response: common sense response: it helps a Quality: possible ______________________________________________________ because possible ______________________________ leader make good decisions ____________________________________________________________________________________________________. response: idealism response: a leader Quality: possible ______________________________________________________ because possible ______________________________ should want to do good ____________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Build Background

Build Background Read the events that happen between Act 2 Scene 1, and Act 4:

Ask: Was Brutus right about Mark Antony when he said that he would not prove dangerous to the conspirators? (No, because Antony turned the people against them and then seized power himself.)

Set Purposes for Reading Ask: Do you think Antony will prove to be a better ruler than the other characters we have seen? Tell students to read to find out what kind of ruler Mark Antony becomes and just how dangerous he is to Brutus and the other conspirators.

•

Following their plan, Brutus and the other conspirators murder Caesar, stabbing him to death outside the Senate building.

•

Brutus speaks at Caesar’s funeral, trying to convince the people that they had acted for the good of Rome.

•

Mark Antony speaks after Brutus and reminds the people of all the good that Caesar had done for them.

•

The crowd turns on the conspirators, forcing them to leave Rome in fear for their lives.

•

Mark Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus form a committee of three, called the Second Triumvirate, to rule Rome.

Now go back through the Build Background and underline the details that you think will be most important to what follows.


Read The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 4, Scene 1 to find out what conflicts develop under the rule of the Second Triumvirate.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Foil

A foil is a character who provides contrast with another character. A foil helps readers see the strengths and weaknesses of another character. For example, two sisters might be foils to each other if one were quiet, had no sense of humor, and loved math, while the other were outgoing, funny, and spent her time playing sports. Imagine a character named Lenny who is honest, loyal to his friends, and thinks that the best way to succeed is through cooperation. Now imagine a foil to Lenny. Use the sentence from below to describe this character.

Literary Element Foil

response: selfish, dishonest, and conniving A foil to Lenny might be possible _______________________________________________________________________________.

Explain that, while a play may have many characters, not all of them serve as foils for each other. Usually foils are fairly important characters, because we need to see enough of them to realize that they really are opposites.

Reading Strategy Make and Verify Predictions When you read, you can make informed guesses about what will happen next. This will help you read with more attention. You can change your predictions as you read and get more information. Based on your reading of Act 2, Scene 1 and the Building Background above, how do you predict the members of the Second Triumvirate will act toward the conspirators and their allies? Write your prediction on the lines below. Possible response: They will revenge themselves on Caesar’s enemies. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Make and Verify Predictions

Vocabulary Denotations and Connotations A word’s denotation is its literal meaning that you can find in a dictionary. However, a word can also have different “shades of meaning”—either positive or negative A word’s connotation is its suggested or implied meaning that goes beyond its dictionary meaning. For example, aspiring and driven all share a common meaning of “ambitious.” However, aspiring has positive connotations; driven has negative connotations. Decide whether each of the following words has a positive or negative or connotation. Then write it under the correct heading in the chart. power-hungry

purposeful

determined

Vocabulary

covert (kōʼ vərt) adj. secret; hidden

pushy

Positive Connotation

purposeful determined

Tell students to watch for information that will verify, or prove, their predictions. When they have finished reading this scene, tell them to go back and underline the lines that verify their predictions. (If students predict that Brutus and Antony will fight, they may underline lines 40–51: “And now, Octavius, / Listen . . . Millions of mischiefs.”)

barren (barʼ ən) adj. empty and dreary; without life; desolate

Negative Connotation

power-hungry pushy



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary follow the routine below. Define: A covert action is one that is secret, kept hidden.

Example: In the movie, the villain was planning a covert operation to take over the country by kidnapping its leaders and substituting lookalikes. Ask: What sort of covert plans have you seen in movies or television shows? EXAMPLE

A barren landscape is one that contains little or no life. After the tropical storm, the small island that was once fertile with trees and thick undergrowth seemed practically barren. How are the words fertile and barren alike in use? How are they different in meaning? COMPARE AND CONTRAST


237

The Tr agedy of


Julius Caesar Act 4 Scene 1 A year and a half has passed since Caesar’s death. Mark Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus, now rulers of Rome, meet in Antony’s house to plan their next actions.


ACT 4

Literary Element Foil If students have difficulty, review the definition of foil, reminding students that to function as a foil, a character must be fairly important. Ask: How important does Lepidus seem in this scene? (Not very important; we really don’t learn much about him.)

Literary Element Foil In this scene, does Lepidus serve as a foil to either Octavius or Mark Antony? Check the box for your answer; then explain your reason. ■ Yes ✓ No ■

5

10

Reason:

Possible reason: We don’t really _______________________________ 15

see or hear enough about _______________________________

SCENE 1. Antony’s house in Rome. A year and a half after Caesar’s death. [Enter ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS.] antony. These many then shall die, their names are prick’d.° octavius. Your brother too must die, consent you, Lepidus?° lepidus. I do consent— octavius. Prick him down, Antony. lepidus. Upon condition Publius shall not live, Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony. antony. He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him. But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house; Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine How to cut off some charge in legacies.° lepidus. What? shall I find you here? octavius. Or here or at the Capitol. [Exit LEPIDUS.] antony. This is a slight unmeritable man, Meet° to be sent on errands; is it fit, The threefold world° divided, he should stand One of the three to share it? octavius. So you thought him,

Lepidus to know his character _______________________________ or what qualities he may have _______________________________ to contrast with Octavius or _______________________________ Mark Antony. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

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Interactive Question-Response Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students have difficulty, point out lines 13–15, in which Mark Antony asks if it is “fit” that Lepidus share the rule with them. Ask: What does it mean when something is “fit” or “fitting”? (It is right or proper.) Does Mark Antony think it is “fit”? Why or why not? (No, because Lepidus is a “slight unmeritable man” for all the reasons Mark Antony describes.) If Lepidus is not fit, what should happen? (He should go—or be eliminated.)

1 prick’d: marked down on a list. 2 Your brother . . . Lepidus: Lepidus’s brother was a prominent politician who sided with the conspirators after Caesar’s assassination.

9 cut off . . . legacies: reduce the amount of money left to the people in Caesar’s will.

13 Meet: fit. 14 threefold world: three parts of the Roman world. (In the autumn of 43 , Antony, Octavius Caesar, and Lepidus formed a triumvirate—a committee of three—to rule Rome. They divided up among themselves territory that the Romans had conquered.) 15–17 So you . . . proscription: Octavius wonders why Antony asked Lepidus to name people who should be sentenced to death if he had so poor an opinion of him.

Read and Discuss With a partner, read aloud Antony’s argument with Octavius in lines 12–27. Discuss whether Mark Antony shows respect and loyalty for his fellow rulers. How can you tell?

Possible response: Mark ____________________________ Antony shows no respect for ____________________________ Lepidus, whom he describes ____________________________ as fit only to run errands. ____________________________ He shows some respect for ____________________________ Octavius, though he says he ____________________________ knows more than Octavius ____________________________ because he’s older. ____________________________



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25

Literary Element

Literary Element Foil If students have difficulty, point out Octavius’s speech “So you thought him . . .” in line 15 on pages 238 and 240. Ask: How did Antony think of him? (as “fit”) Then point out Octavius’s speech in line 28 on page 240: “He’s a tried and valiant soldier.” As necessary, explain that tried means “proven” or “experienced” and that valiant means “brave.”

Foil Summarize Octavius’s speeches by completing the first two sentences below. Then complete the third sentence to describe Octavius as a foil to Mark Antony. When you took Lepidus’s advice about who should be sentenced to die, you seemed to think that he

response: fit to was possible __________________________ share our rule ______________________________ .

30

35

And took his voice who should be prick’d to die In our black sentence and proscription.° antony. Octavius, I have seen more days than you, And though we lay these honors on this man To ease ourselves of divers sland’rous loads,° He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, To groan and sweat under the business, Either led or driven, as we point the way; And having brought our treasure where we will, Then take we down his load, and turn him off (Like to the empty ass) to shake his ears And graze in commons.° octavius. You may do your will; But he’s a tried and valiant soldier. antony. So is my horse, Octavius, and for that I do appoint him store of provender.° It is a creature that I teach to fight, To wind,° to stop, to run directly on, His corporal° motion govern’d by my spirit; And in some taste° is Lepidus but so. He must be taught, and train’d, and bid go forth; A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds On objects, arts, and imitations, Which, out of use and stal’d by other men, Begin his fashion.° Do not talk of him

Do as you think best, but remember that Lepidus is an _______

experienced and brave soldier . ______________________________ In this scene, when Mark Antony is

and unfairly . acting dishonestly ________________________ Octavius shows that he is a foil by

and fairly acting honestly ________________________ .

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Word Study

4/22/08 2:44:15 P

BLM

Homophones Explain that homophones are words that sound alike but that have different spellings and meanings. Often, the only way to tell which word is intended is by studying the context in which the word is used. These boldfaced words all appear in Scene 1: sent/scent; die/dye; led/lead; taught/taut; great/grate. Write each word and its homophone on the board. Have students work in pairs to look up each word in a dictionary. On separate paper, have them write a definition for each word. Finally, have students locate the words in this scene and circle the words they find. Then have students practice using homophones correctly by completing the activity on page A28.

240


The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 4 Scene 1 20 divers sland’rous loads: the burden of accusations for our various actions.


24–27 And having . . . commons: When Lepidus has brought our treasure where we want it, we will send him off to shake his ears and graze on public land like an unburdened donkey.

Vocabulary Skill Denotations and Connotations

30 appoint . . . provender: allot him a supply of food. 32 wind: turn.

If students have difficulty, Ask: What words might someone who loved the arctic landscape use to describe its emptiness? (clean, severe)

33 corporal: bodily. 34 taste: degree. 36–39 A barren-spirited . . . fashion: a man with no originality, one who indulges in curiosities, tricks, and fashions, which he takes up only after they have become outmoded.

Vocabulary barren (barʼ ən) adj. empty and dreary; without life; desolate

Vocabulary Skill Denotations and Connotations Replace the word barren in the sentence below with a synonym that has more positive connotations. Use a dictionary or thesaurus if you need help. The explorer loved the barren ___________ plains of the arctic, with their endless distances and harsh light.

Possible synonyms: clean, ______________________________ unadorned ______________________________ ______________________________



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40

Vocabulary

Interactive Question-Response Vocabulary Skill Denotations and Connotations If students have difficulty deciding whether covert has a positive or negative connotation here, Ask: How does a person often behave when he or she wants to keep something secret or hidden? (suspicious)

45

covert (kōˊ vərt) adj. secret; hidden

Vocabulary Skill Denotations and Connotations Would you describe the connotations of covert in the following sentence below as positive or negative? Put a check in the box next to your answer and give your reason on the lines below.

50

But as a property.° And now, Octavius, Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius Are levying powers; we must straight make head; Therefore let our alliance be combin’d, Our best friends made, our means stretch’d; And let us presently go sit in council, How covert matters may be best disclos’d, And open perils surest answered.° octavius. Let us do so; for we are at the stake, And bay’d about with many enemies,° And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, Millions of mischiefs. [They exit.]

He demanded that the club’s meetings remain covert. ■ Positive ✓ Negative ■

Possible explanation: ______________________________ Negative; because the ______________________________ demand for keeping a ______________________________ club’s meeting secret seems ______________________________ unnecessary. ______________________________ ______________________________

READING CHECK

______________________________ ______________________________

Summarize The conspirators killed Caesar, so they said, because they feared he would misuse his power. Does anyone else misuse power, in your opinion? Explain your answer on the lines below. Possible response Yes; Mark Antony, Lepidus, and Octavius ______________________________________________________ seem to be misusing power by killing their political ______________________________________________________ opponents and by trying to hold on to the money Caesar ______________________________________________________ willed to the people of Rome. ______________________________________________________

242


Reading Check Summarize If students have trouble responding, have them review lines 1–9. Ask: What are the three men discussing? (killing political opponents, some of whom are close relatives) Why does Mark Antony want Caesar’s will? (to determine how to keep from paying some of Caesar’s legacy to the Roman people)

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40 a property: a mere tool. 41–47 Listen great . . . answered: Listen to important matters. Brutus and Cassius are raising armies; we must press forward immediately. Therefore let us become united, choose our allies, and make the most of our resources. And let us decide at once how hidden threats may be uncovered and open dangers most safely confronted.

48–49 we are . . . enemies: Octavius’s metaphor refers to bear-baiting, a popular entertainment in which bears were tied to stakes and surrounded by vicious dogs.

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Make Predictions Who do you predict will win, the conspirators or Rome’s new rulers? Why? Write your prediction on the lines below.

Reading Strategy Make Predictions

Possible prediction: The new _______________________________

If students are having difficulty, Ask: At this point, who seems to have control of Rome itself? (Mark Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus) Why might this be an advantage? (Control of Rome would provide access to the city’s wealth.)

rulers will win because they _______________________________ have control of Rome. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________



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243

After You Read

The Tr agedy of

After You Read

Julius Caesar

Act 4 Scene 1

Connect to the Play At this point, Rome has three rulers. Look back at the qualities of a ruler you named on page 236. So far, does either Mark Antony or Octavius seem to be acting like a good leader? Check the box for your answer; then give your reasons in the lines that follow.

Connect to the Play If students have difficulty making the connection, have them review the qualities they listed on page 236 and then look for these qualities, one by one, in either Mark Antony or Octavius. Suggest that they circle or highlight each place where a character either shows a quality or shows a lack of it. They can use these lines or actions for their reasons in answering the question.

Antony

■

good

■

bad

✓ ■

mixed

Possible reasons: Mark Antony has energy and common sense; but he wants to keep back some of the _________________________________________________________________________________________________ money left by Caesar to the people and he is disloyal to Lepidus. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Octavius ✓ ■

good

■

bad

■

mixed

Possible reasons: Octavius has energy and common sense and shows much more loyalty to Lepidus. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element Foil

Literary Element

Foil

Fill in the following sentence frame to describe the use of character foils in this scene.

If students have difficulty, Ask: Who seems to be the main character in this scene? (Mark Antony) Who acts as his foil? (Octavius) What qualities does Mark Antony show in his treatment of Lepidus? (disloyalty and unfairness) What qualities does Octavius show? (loyalty and fairness)

Antony and fairly Octavius acts as a foil to Mark _________________________________ by behaving loyally ___ _____________________________ and unfairly to Lepidus while Mark Antony is behaving disloyally _____________________________________________________________ .

Reading Strategy Make and Verify Predictions What will happen to Rome next? Make a prediction by checking one of the boxes below; then explain your reasons on the lines that follow.

■ ✓ ■ ■

Reading Strategy Make and Verify Predictions

Rome will have peace when Brutus yields power to Mark Antony. Rome will have war when Brutus fights Mark Antony. Rome will have peace when Mark Antony yields power to Brutus.

Possible reasons: Mark Antony is getting ready to kill his enemies. There is no way either Mark Antony or _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Help students understand that, given the situation at present, there seems to be little chance that either Antony or Brutus will give up. That means war must follow.

Brutus will yield power to the other. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

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After You Read

After You Read

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Act 4 Scene 1

Vocabulary barren

covert

A. Word Meaning Think about the meaning of the boldface word as you read each sentence. Check the box for the best answer. 1. The field of grain was barren after the grasshoppers fed on the growing wheat.

■ ■ ✓ ■

valuable enlarged destroyed

2. Mr. Lewellen accused Kate and Lisa of sending each other covert text messages during class. ✓ ■ ■ ■

private funny lengthy

3. The eruption of the volcano left the forested hills for miles around it a barren wilderness. ✓ ■ ■ ■

desolate picturesque protected

4. She had conducted covert operations for the U.S. government in many parts of the world.

■ ✓ ■ ■

dangerous secret exciting

B. Denotations and Connotations Connotation is the meaning of a word that goes beyond the dictionary definition. The words below present connotations for the vocabulary words. Under each vocabulary word, write the connotation that is the most negative and the connotation that is the most positive. concealed

clean unproductive

blighted

confidential

sneaky

1. barren blighted most negative ________________

clean most positive ________________

2. covert sneaky most negative ________________

confidential most positive ________________



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Writing Link Description Point out that Mark Antony presents a character sketch of Lepidus that includes an evaluation of him. Have students think about a character—real or imaginary—that they can present through description. Have students write brief character descriptions of one paragraph in which they present a character’s personality and behavior. Students should end their descriptions with a one-sentence evaluation in which they give their opinions of the character. An effective character description should: • present a character’s personality and behavior • conclude with an evaluation of the character • stay within the space limit


245

After You Read

After You Read

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Act 4 Scene 1

Reasoning Map 1. In this scene, Mark Antony tries to persuade Octavius to agree with him about Lepidus. Read his conclusion in the box at the right. Then, in the boxes at the left, write three reasons he gives to support his conclusion.

Reason 1 Possible reason: He is good only for running errands.

Reason 2 Possible reason: He must be taught and trained and sent out to obey orders.

Conclusion Lepidus doesn’t deserve to rule Rome with us.

Reason 3 Possible reason: He has no originality but only follows fads.

2. To what two animals does Mark Antony compare Lepidus in order to prove his reasoning? Write your answer on the lines below. He compares Lepidus both to an ass, or beast of burden, and to his horse. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 247–258 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing plot pattern archetype. Reading: Making inferences about characters.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Myth Remind students that a myth is a traditional story that often explains a belief, a custom, a force of nature, or some aspect of human behavior. Even when myth seems to be simply a tale of adventure, it still reveals characteristics of the culture that produced it. Tell students that cultures throughout the world have produced myths. Emphasize that besides helping us to understand traditional cultures, myths can also have relevance to our daily lives.

The Stealing of

Ask students to think about the myths they have read. Have them identify the subjects of these narratives and what they learned from them. Model the process for them: Model One of my favorites is the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. It’s about a wonderful musician who tries to bring his dead wife back from the Underworld. He fails, but the story reveals ancient Greek beliefs about the afterlife. It also expresses universal truths about the strength of love and the power of music.

Thor’s Hammer by Brian Branston

The Stealing of Thor's Hammer

247_258_G10_APP_Thor'sHammer.ind247 247

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Myth

Literary Element • Plot Pattern Archetypes

BLM Word Study • Compound Words BLM

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Usage • Academic Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Make Inferences About Characters

BLM Grammar Link • Declarative and Interrogative Sentences BLM • Exclamatory and Imperative Sentences BLM


Writing Link • Character Sketch


Fluency • Expression and Intonation: Bring Out Meaning


247

Before You Read

Before You Read

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

Connect to the Myth Characters in myths are usually larger-than-life, and engage in heroic acts and ambitious undertakings. The problems they encounter, however, can be similar to problems encountered in our daily lives. In the myth that follows, the main character discovers that something very important to him is missing. What would you do if you found that something very important to you was missing? Respond to the following questions, writing your answers on the lines below.

Connect to the Myth Ask students to share their responses with a partner. If the partners had similar responses, have them speculate on other approaches to the problem. If the partners responded differently, have them compare their responses and discuss the pros and cons of each approach.

1. How would you respond if you found out that the item had been stolen? If you found out who had stolen it, would you want to confront them? Possible response: Finding out it was stolen would be even more upsetting. Depending on who the ______________________________________________________________________________________________ thief was, I might confront him or her. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

2. How would you go about getting the item back? Would you use force, or trickery? Explain. Possible response: I certainly wouldn’t use force. I might try trickery. Or I might go to someone who ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Read the Build Background notes with students. Have students share the facts and details they underlined, and explain their reasons. Model the process: Model The first statement, about the source of Norse mythology, might be useful to know in general, but I probably won’t need it to read the myth. The second statement, about Thor being the main character, is something I’ll need to know.

had some authority or influence over the thief and ask that person to help me get it back. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background As you read the following statements, underline the facts that you think provide information you will need to read the myth. •

Norse mythology is drawn from the history and traditions of the four Scandinavian countries: Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

•

The Norse god Thor is the main character of the myth that follows.


•

Thor is known as the strongest of the gods, but he is far from the smartest.

•

Thor is armed with a hammer, which he uses to defend the Norse gods.

Emphasize the following three points: revenge, trickery, and humor. Tell students to keep these points especially in mind as they read.

•

When Thor throws his hammer, it creates lightning and then magically returns to his hand.

Set Purposes for Reading In the following myth, Thor loses the hammer with which he defends the Norse gods from their enemies. Read to find out how he uses trickery to recover it and how he revenges himself on the thief. As you read, notice the role of humor in this myth.

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Plot Pattern Archetypes

An archetype is a character, an image, or a plot pattern that appears frequently in art and literature of different periods and different cultures. An evil magician is and example of a character archetype; a magic ring is an example of an image archetype. A plot pattern archetype is a story that is found in many different times and cultures. The familiar story of a hero’s quest is a plot pattern archetype. In the chart below, place each of the following items in the correct category of archetype. Then use the chart to note archetypes you encounter in reading “The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer.” magical weapon

strongman

trickster

theft of fire

journey to another world

enchanted castle

Character Archetype strongman trickster

Image Archetype

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes

Plot Pattern Archetype

magical weapon enchanted castle

theft of fire journey to another world

If students have difficulty responding to the categories listed, suggest they review which archetypes describe people, which describe things, and which describe events.

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Characters Making inferences about characters means making reasonable assumptions about characters based on how they are described and on what they say and do. As you read, use a chart to keep track of details about the description, speech, and actions of the characters Thor and Loki. Use these details as clues to make an inference about each of them.

Vocabulary

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Characters

Usage

One way to understand the meaning of a new word is to think about its part of speech and how that part of speech is used in sentences. Look at the definitions and parts of speech for the words in the side column. Read each word and its definition aloud. Then write each word on the blank in the correct sentence below. Reread the sentences to understand how each word is used in context.

Vocabulary disdainful (dis dā̄nˊ fəl) adj. scornful; mocking

Draw the graphic organizer on the board and use a familiar mythological character such as Odysseus as an example. (Possible details: devises the strategy of the Trojan Horse; outwits the Cyclops; invents clever lies to disguise his identity. Possible inference: Odysseus is cunning and quick-witted.)

aggrieved (ə grēvdˊ) adj. disturbed; upset guile (gı̄l) n. cunning deliberation (di libˊ ə rāˊ shən) n. an official meeting or consultation

jubilantly Thor returned home ________________ after retrieving his hammer.

jubilantly (jooˊ bə lənt lē) adv. joyfully or happily

The gods sat in ________________ to decide what to do. deliberation disdainful He was bothered by King Loki’s ________________ treatment of him. aggrieved Sif was ________________ at being thrown out of bed. guile Loki suggested the use of ________________ rather than a direct attack.



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: When you are disdainful of something, you are scornful of it. Example: The mayor took a disdainful view of the opposition candidate. Ask: What are you disdainful of? (Sample answer: I am disdainful of people who don’t listen.) EXAMPLE

To be aggrieved is to be disturbed or upset, often after being injured in some way. The aggrieved customer wanted his money back because the toaster didn’t work. How are the words aggrieved and unhappy the same? How are they different? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

A deliberation is a meeting held to discuss or otherwise address an issue. The chairmen and the board sat in deliberation for hours deciding who would be the new president of the company. What kind of jobs would require employees to engage in deliberation. EXAMPLE

A person with guile is cunning. He suggested that we use guile rather than force to get the stolen object returned. Describe a time when you used guile. DESCRIPTION

When you are jubilant you rejoice over something. Louis was jubilant after he aced the physics exam. When might a recent college graduate be jubilant? EXAMPLE


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The Stealing of Thor’s Vocabulary disdainful (dis dānˊ fəl) adj. scornful; mocking

Vocabulary Skill

Vocabulary Skill Usage Read the sentence from the selection aloud without the adjective and ask what information is now missing. If students have difficulty responding: Model The sentence still tells me that Thor resents how he was treated, but without the adjective disdainful, I don’t have an important clue about why Thor feels so resentful. Writers use adjectives to help readers better understand why characters feel the way they do.

Usage What part of speech is the word disdainful? Why does Branston use this word here? Write your answer on the lines below.

Disdainful is an adjective; ______________________________ Branston uses this word to ______________________________ show how badly King Loki ______________________________ treated Thor and explain why ______________________________ Thor feels so resentful. ______________________________

Literary Element

Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes Point out to students that the phrase “get his own back” is an idiom meaning “revenge himself.”

Plot Pattern Archetypes Seeking revenge is a plot element common to many works of literature. Underline the words and phrases in the first paragraph that indicate Thor is seeking revenge against King Loki.

Hammer

The god Thor always resented the disdainful way he had been treated by King Loki of Outgard.1 He was quite determined that one day he would get his own back. Then a dreadful thing happened which made him fear that revenge might prove impossible: his hammer was stolen! One evening he had retired as usual after a hearty supper in his palace of Bilskirnir and in an unusually tidy mood he placed his shoes together neatly, folded his clothes and laid his hammer on the table next to his pillow before getting into bed beside Sif.2 Daylight was squeezing through the gaps in the shutters and the dawn chorus of birdsong was pealing in from the countryside when Thor awoke from a disturbing dream. He fancied in his sleep that a thief had crept into the bedroom and had stolen the one sure protection the gods had against the giants—his hammer. Half awake, he fumbled a hand out of the sheets and felt along the top of the bedside table. It was empty. He sat up in bed with such a jolt that his wife Sif was shot out onto the floor. Before she could open her mouth to protest, Thor was yelling, “My hammer! My hammer’s been stolen! Æsir!3 Elves! Quick! Wait! No! Yes! Who’s stolen my hammer? LOKI! LOKEE…!” and his red hair and beard tossed about in all directions as he wrathfully dragged on his clothes. He absentmindedly picked the aggrieved Sif off the floor and put her back into bed, by which time Loki4 had come running up panting.

Vocabulary aggrieved (ə grēvdˊ) adj. disturbed; upset, especially as the result of an injury

1. King Loki (lōʼ kē) is the king of the giants in Norse mythology. Outgard is the name of his home. King Loki is not to be confused with Loki, the fire god. 2. Sif (sif) is the wife of Thor and the Norse goddess of fertility and crops. 3. Æsir (aʼ zir) is another name for the group made up of the major Norse gods. 4. Here, Loki refers to the fire god, not King Loki.

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Word Study

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BLM

Compound Words Point out to students the words daylight, birdsong, and countryside. Demonstrate how these words are compound words by writing them on the board and drawing a slash between the two smaller words that make up the compound. Follow the same procedure with the words bedroom and bedside, which also appear in this paragraph. Then have students practice these compound words by completing the activity on page A29.

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The Stealing of Thor's Hammer “You had anything to do with this, Loki?” bellowed Thor. “What, what…?” gasped Loki as Thor gripped him by the scruff. “My hammer—have you stolen it?” “No, no, no,” stammered Loki. “Only one lot dare do that, and you don’t need me to tell you who they are. The giants!” “Come on then!” cried Thor, “My chariot—you are coming with me to Jotunheim5 to get it back!” and he started to drag Loki downstairs to the stables. “Stop!” shouted Loki. “Do have the sense to stop! Can’t you see that’s just what the giants want? Without your hammer you’d be killed. We need stealth here. We need guile.” “Well, you’re the one for that,” replied Thor, simmering down, “What do you suggest?” The upshot was that Loki volunteered to borrow Freya’s6 feather coat and fly as a hawk into Jotunheim to find out if possible what had happened to Thor’s hammer. He winged his way swiftly over the ocean to the shores of Jotunheim and across the tops of the towering forest trees towards the mountains and the stronghold of King Loki. From a distance he saw the king sitting on the gravemound of his ancestors just outside the city walls. There was a runecarved stone commemorating the dead giants who were sitting upright in their high seats below in the mound waiting for the Ragnarok.7 Loki flew to the top of the tall stone and perched there. King Loki of Outgard was amusing himself plaiting8 gold leashes for his hunting dogs and trimming the manes of his horses. He glanced up. “It’s Loki, isn’t it?” he asked. “Yes,” replied the hawk, “you are quite right, of course.” “How goes it with the Æsir, and how with the elves? Very well, I trust?” “The elves are upset and the Æsir worse.” “Someone has stolen Thor’s hammer.” “And who’s the culprit?” asked King Loki of Outgard. “You are, your gigantic majesty,” answered the Mischief Maker at which the giant let out such an exploding guffaw of cruel laughter that his horses shied in fear and his hounds cringed in terror.

Read and Discuss Read the conversation between Thor and Loki out loud with a partner. As you read, put one line under details that help you understand Thor; put two lines under details that help you understand Loki.


Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Characters Based on what you have read so far, what inference can you make about Thor’s character? What details are you basing this inference on? Write your answers on the lines below: Inference:

Read and Discuss Partner Talk As the partners review the dialogue, urge them not to forget the words that tell how the two characters speak (for example, bellowed). These words also provide important character clues.

Possible inference: Thor is ____________________________ emotional, clumsy, and reckless. ____________________________

Details:

Possible details: He shouts ____________________________ wildly and knocks his wife out ____________________________ of bed when he discovers his ____________________________ hammer is gone. He starts off ____________________________ to get it back without stopping ____________________________ to think. ____________________________

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Characters If students have difficulty responding: Model To analyze a character’s actions, I sometimes think about what the character says and does, and combine it with what I know about how other people behave. This is making an inference. If I reread the passage and think about how Thor behaves, and draw upon what I already know about people, I can make inferences about what his character is like.

Vocabulary guile (gı̄l) n. cunning 5. Jotunheim (yô toon hāmʼ) is one of the nine worlds in Norse mythology and the home of the giants. Jotun is another word for giant. 6. Freya (frāʼ ə) is the Norse goddess of love and beauty. 7. Ragnarok is the final battle between the gods and their enemies in Norse mythology. 8. Plaiting (plātʼ ing) means “braiding.”



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The Stealing of Thor's Hammer Literary Element


Plot Pattern Archetypes Why won’t force work to regain Thor’s hammer? What exchange does King Loki propose? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: King Loki _______________________________ has hidden Thor’s hammer far _______________________________ underground. He proposes to _______________________________

Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes If students have trouble responding, Ask: Where has King Loki hidden Thor’s hammer? (far underground) What does the word redeem mean? (to give something in exchange for something else)

exchange it in return for the _______________________________ goddess Freya becoming his _______________________________ wife. _______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary deliberation (di libˊ ə rāˊ shən) n. an official meeting or consultation

Vocabulary Skill Usage Have students use deliberation/deliberate in additional sentence pairs. Have partners exchange sentences and check each other’s work to check whether both words were used correctly.

Vocabulary Skill Usage The noun deliberation is related to the verb deliberate. On the lines below, rewrite the sentence from the selection that contains the word deliberation, using the word deliberate instead. Use a dictionary if you need help.

Possible response; At once he ______________________________ called a council meeting of ______________________________ all the Æsir and without delay ______________________________ they began to deliberate, ______________________________ sitting on their judgment ______________________________ stools. ______________________________

“There’s no use pretending with a clever fellow like you,” he said. “You are quite right. I have stolen Thor’s hammer; and the Thundering Nuisance will only get it back on conditions.” “What conditions?” “Don’t think the hammer can be regained by force. It can’t. I have buried it deep in the earth, seven leagues9 down. Only one thing will redeem it. You must bring me the goddess Freya to be my wife!” Loki made no reply but flew straight back to Asgard10 and before he could alight Thor was asking him for news. “Tell me at once, before you perch,” he cried, “have you found out where my hammer is?” The Mischief Maker explained precisely all he knew and told the terms necessary for retrieving the hammer. He had scarcely taken off the feather coat when Thor was dragging him to Freya’s palace, bursting into it without any politeness or ceremony. “Here’s your feather coat, dear Freya,” said Thor, “thanks for the loan of it. Now hurry up please and find yourself a bride’s veil.” “A bride’s veil?” asked Freya, surprised. “Who’s getting married?” “You are,” said Thor. “I?” exclaimed Freya beginning to get angry, “to whom, pray? Or is it a secret?” “It’s no secret,” said the simple Thor, “to Loki of Outgard, of course.” Freya’s lovely breasts rose with such fury that her famous necklace Brisingamen snapped apart and the precious jewels scattered across the marble floor. She picked up the nearest weapon to hand, a distaff,11 and started to belabor12 Loki, shouting, “I shan’t, I shan’t, I shan’t!” It was no use trying to reason with her. She flatly refused to marry any giant even though he was a king. Such a serious situation had to be made known to Odin.13 At once, he called a council meeting of all the Æsir and without delay they sat in deliberation upon their judgement stools. “Who’s first with any ideas?” asked Odin. Tyr suggested an armed invasion of Jotunheim. Niord14 agreed, saying it should be an attack by sea and land and air

9. One league (lēg) is equal to about three miles or five kilometers. 10. Asgard (asʼ gärdʼ) is another of the nine worlds and the home of the gods. 11. A distaff (disʼ taf) is a pole used to hold wool for spinning. 12. To belabor (bi lāʼ bər) is to strike or hit. 13. Odin is a Norse god of war. He is also the god of poets. 14. Niord is the Norse god of the sea.

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Fluency Expression and Intonation: Bring Out Meaning Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on reading with expression and tone that matches the emotion, meaning, tone, or mood of the passage. Have students use selection content and text punctuation to guide their reading. For example, students should show expression when reading exclamations and adjust their intonation when reading dialogue and narration respectively. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.

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The Stealing of Thor's Hammer with the Valkyries15 on their flying horses spear-heading the aerial battalions. Loki said, “I can tell you this: a direct attack will be useless. Let me remind you of the magic spells employed by the giant king to frustrate Thor in the past. Even if an attack was successful, the hammer would still lie hidden. There is only one way to get it back and that is to trick King Loki of Outgard into producing it.” Heimdall,16 the whitest and sometimes the wisest of the gods said he had an idea. “If we were to dress Thor himself up as a bride and send Loki disguised as a handmaid to do the talking, then once the hammer is brought out Thor can snatch it up and—hey presto!— heads will roll!” “Jumping Jormungander!”17 shouted Thor, foaming at the mouth. “Vexatious Vergelmir!18 Nobody dresses me up as a woman!” But it was no use Thor’s continuing to protest. Heimdall’s suggestion was voted best in the end and the Thunderer had to submit to being clothed in petticoats to hide his hairy legs and a long-sleeved blouse stuffed out a bit in the appropriate places, topped by an embroidered tunic. Brooches were pinned onto his false bust and a set of housewife’s keys was set to dangle from his girdle.19 To show he really was ‘Freya’, he had to wear the goddess’s famous necklace, now repaired, Brisingamen. And 15. Valkyries (val kērʼ ēs) are Odin’s twelve handmaidens, who ride onto the battlefield on winged horses to take the souls of the brave to Valhalla, Odin’s palace in Asgard. 16. Heimdall (hı̄m dəl) is the watchman of the gods; he possesses keen eyesight, hearing, and the ability to see the future. 17. The Jormungander (yôrʼ moon gänd ər) is Loki’s son, a mighty serpent that encircles the Earth. 18. Vexatious (vek sāʼ shēs) means “troublesome.” Vergelmir (hwerʼ gel mir) is a spring in Norse mythology that was instrumental in forming the first giants. 19. Thor’s female costume includes petticoats (petʼē kōtsʼ), which are decorative feminine undergarments; a tunic (tooʼ nik), which is a long, loose shirt; and a girdle (gurdʼəl), which here means “a wide belt.” He is also wearing a set of housewife’s keys. Women in Scandinavian cultures ruled the household and, therefore, held the keys to the house.

Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes What does Loki say they must do? Where have you encountered trickery as a narrative element in other myths and folk tales? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: Loki says ____________________________ they must trick King Loki into ____________________________ bringing the hammer from ____________________________ where he has hidden it. As ____________________________ examples of trickery from ____________________________ myths and folk tales, students ____________________________ might mention the Trojan ____________________________ Horse and the fairy tale of Puss ____________________________ in Boots. ____________________________

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes If students have difficulty responding, draw their attention to Loki’s response to Tyr’s suggestion of an invasion. Model Loki is advising trickery. I’m not surprised. Trickery is a plot pattern archetype that appears in many kinds of literature, from folklore and myths to realistic fiction. Trickery appears in some of the earliest stories I ever read, such as the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood, when the wolf tricks the little girl by dressing up in her grandmother’s nightgown.

READING CHECK Clarify Who is Loki and who is King Loki? What different roles have these two characters played so far? Write your answer on the lines below. Possible response: Loki is one of the gods. King Loki is the ______________________________________________________ king of the giants. Loki is helping Thor retrieve his hammer, ______________________________________________________ which has been stolen by King Loki. ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Clarify If students have trouble, draw their attention to the footnote 1 on page 250.


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The Stealing of Thor's Hammer Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes Which of the following best describes the effect of this passage? Put a check in the box next to your answer.


■ ✓ ■ ■

suspense humor realism

Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes If students have difficulty responding, ask them to visualize what is being described: the huge, red-bearded Thor being dressed up as a bride.

Read and Discuss With a partner, discuss the plan the gods came up with. Do you think it will work? What is a major drawback to the plan? Write your answer on the lines below.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students have trouble responding, have them reread the section on page 253 where Loki first proposes his plan. Ask: What is Thor’s first response? (He angrily rejects the idea of dressing up as a woman.)

Possible response: Thor will ____________________________ not be able to act the part ____________________________ of Freya. ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________

to complete the disguise he was draped to the waist in a white bride’s veil. Loki in turn was dressed up as a woman, a rather saucy20 lady’s maid. Thor’s goats21 were led from the stable and harnessed to the chariot. “Come on there, Toothgnasher! Gee up, Toothgrinder!” he shouted and cracked his whip while the smile vanished from Loki’s lips as he nearly slipped out of the back. In a flash of lightning they were halfway across the sky. In Jotunheim King Loki of Outgard heard the thunder of the chariot wheels and he called out to his servants to strew the carved wooden settles with cushions and goat skins to make them comfortable, to broach the sparkling, foamy ale, to set up the trestle tables and prepare the wedding feast for him and his new bride the lovely, the delectable, the incomparable Freya. He rubbed his gigantic hands with satisfaction as he thought of all his possessions, of the gold-horned oxen with jet black hides thronging his paddocks, of his horses and hounds, his hunting hawks, of the gold and jewels in his iron-bound coffers;22 he seemed to need only one thing to complete his happiness—the goddess Freya. By the time the ‘bride’ and her ‘lady’s maid’ had arrived it was early evening and the banquet was ready. The bride was placed on King Loki’s right hand and the maid on his left. The giant was very surprised when, during the feasting, the bride had no difficulty in despatching a whole ox, eight fine salmon and all the dainties intended for the lady giants. He was even more astonished to see this mountain of food washed down with three firkins of mead—and a firkin holds nine gallons! “I don’t think I ever saw a giant maiden with such a thirst or such an appetite,” he said. “It is unusual,” said the cunning lady’s maid, “but you have to remember that when Freya knew she was going to marry you …“ and here Loki was forced to gulp as he thought of the thumping lie he was about to tell, “she was so excited, your majesty, that she couldn’t eat for a week. Not a morsel passed her lovely lips. When we arrived here she was ravenous.”23 “You can say that again,” muttered King Loki. He was getting impatient and wanted to steal a kiss from the bride so he lifted a corner of her veil.

20. Saucy (sôʼ sē) means “spirited.” 21. Thor drove a chariot pulled by two goats. 22. Settles (setʼ əls) are large wooden benches or seats. Here, to broach (brōch) means “to open.” Paddocks (padʼ ək) are fields where horses graze, and coffers (kôʼ fərs) are chests or boxes used to store valuables. 23. Ravenous (ravʼ ə nəs) means “very hungry.”

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Language Note African American Vernacular English: The Plural Marking System Speakers of African American vernacular English may use a silent /t/ when making plurals of words ending in -st. The plural /s/ is also often absent in the writing of AAVE speakers. Write the following sentence on the board: King Loki had many feasts, ate many roasts, and enjoyed many jests. Have student volunteers read the sentence, being careful to pronounce the plural /s/. Have students copy the sentence. Be sure that they include the plural /s/ at the end of feasts, roasts, and jests in their writing.

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The Stealing of Thor's Hammer Loki was petrified. And the giant king’s hair almost stood on end at the sight of the flashing eyes he saw there in the lacy shadows. Handmaid Loki hastened to tell him not to worry, Freya’s eyes were rather red because she had not been able to sleep for a week before coming to Outgard. At last King Loki of Outgard called for the marriage to be solemnized24 in the traditional way by the bride and groom swearing their vows on Thor’s hammer. The hammer was fetched from its hiding-place and laid on the bride’s lap while the happy pair placed their hands on it and swore to be true to each other. Thor’s hand was underneath and when he felt Mullicrusher25 within his grasp once more all his confidence returned. He did not bother to throw off his veil. With one great lunge he felled his old enemy the giant king. Then the pair of imposters strode out of the hall, mounted the chariot and rattled jubilantly back to Asgard again.

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Characters How would you describe Loki based on what he does when the king tries to steal a kiss from his bride? Write your answer on the lines below.

Possible response: Loki is _______________________________ quick-witted. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Vocabulary

24. When a marriage is solemnized (solʼ əm nı̄zʼ d), it is formally established. 25. Mullicrusher (mə lēʼ crə shər) is the nickname the author uses for Thor’s hammer.

jubilantly (jooˊ bə lənt lē) adv. joyfully or happily

Vocabulary Skill

READING CHECK Summarize Retell in your own words what happens when Thor and Loki, disguised as the bride and her maid, sit down beside King Loki at the wedding banquet. Possible summary: Thor the bride almost gives himself away ______________________________________________________ by eating and drinking so much. Loki tells the King the bride ______________________________________________________


Usage Why do you think Branston uses the word jubilantly rather than a word or phrase such as happily or with pleasure?

Possible response: Jubilantly ______________________________ expresses a stronger feeling ______________________________

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Characters If students have difficulty, model a response: Model Loki has to react even more quickly here than he did earlier to explain Thor’s enormous appetite. Loki is very quick-witted.

Vocabulary If students have trouble, have them read the sentence without either of the suggested alternatives. Ask: How does this change the feeling created by the sentence? (It seems flatter, less triumphant.)

than the other choices. ______________________________

has been too nervous to eat for the past week. Loki explains ______________________________________________________ the bride’s flashing eyes by saying she hasn’t slept in a week. ______________________________________________________ After the ceremony begins, Thor’s hammer is produced so ______________________________________________________ the bride and groom can take their vows on it. Thor grasps ______________________________________________________ the hammer, kills King Loki, and he and Loki return to ______________________________________________________ Asgard in triumph. ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Summarize Make sure students’ summaries include only the major plot details. Point out that details such as the bride drinking three firkins of mead, and how much a firkin holds, do not need to be included in their summaries.


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After You Read

After You Read

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

Connect to the Myth Look back at the answers you gave on page 248. Compare your reactions and actions to how Thor reacted and what he did.

Literary Element Plot Pattern Archetypes

Students’ responses will vary. They likely had a similar initial reaction to Thor’s, but probably went about _________________________________________________________________________________________________ trying to get the item back in a different way. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write the following names on the board: Ragnarok (“Twilight of the Gods”)

Literary Element

Plot Pattern Archetypes

Review the archetypes chart you filled out on page 249. On the lines below, identify which of these archetypes you encountered in “The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer” and what element in the myth represented each archetype.

Mjolnir Death of Baldur

strongman—Thor _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bifrost (“Rainbow Bridge”)

trickster—Loki _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Heimdall

magical weapon—Thor’s Hammer _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nifelheim

journey to another world—visit to Jotunheim _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Asgard

Reading Strategy Make Inferences About Character

Slaying of Fafnir

Look back over the Reading Strategy chart you made. Then use the sentence frames below to summarize the characters of Thor and Loki based on the inferences you made.

Odin

response: hot-headed and reckless Thor is possible __________________________________________________________________________________________

Freya

the way he behaves after his hammer is stolen because of of _______________________________________________________________________________________

Sigurd

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brisingamen

the way he acts when disguised as Freya. and because of ___________________________________________________________________________________

Have students use reference books or the Internet to identify each of these figures from Norse mythology and determine to which of the following categories each belongs.

response: cunning and quick-witted Loki is possible ___________________________________________________________________________________________ plan he comes up with to recover Thor’s hammer because of the _______________________________________________________________________________________ way he explains Thor’s odd behavior at the banquet. and because of the ___________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Character Archetype

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Heimdall Odin

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Sigurd Image Archetype Mjolnir Bifrost Brisingamen Asgard Nifelheim Plot Pattern Archetype Death of Baldur Ragnarok Slaying of Fafnir

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Grammar Link

BLM

Declarative and Interrogative Sentences Prepare students to complete the activity on page A30. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

Exclamatory and Imperative Sentences Prepare students to complete the activity on page A31. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

After You Read

The Stealing of

After You Read

Thor’s Hammer

Vocabulary disdainful

aggrieved

guile

deliberation

jubilantly

Academic Vocabulary Write the following sentence on the board: It is impossible to assess what power mythical beings have on our imaginations.

A. Word Meaning Circle the answer that best fits the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary word in each sentence. 1. After lengthy deliberation, the city council decided on a plan to revive the downtown area. a speeches

c discussion

b argument

d organization

Tell students that assess is an academic word that has multiple meanings. Other words that are similar in meaning to the way assess is used in the sentence on the board are judge and measure.

2. The politician’s guile enabled her to outmaneuver her opponents. a experience

c trickery

b intelligence

d honesty

Divide students into pairs. Have them look up the word assess in a dictionary. Then have the partners work together to write a definition in their own words of assess as it is used in the sentence on the board.

3. The winning team jubilantly carried their coach off the field on their shoulders. a secretly

c proudly

b angrily

d joyously

4. Wanting to participate only in organized sports, his attitude toward the other children’s simple games was disdainful. a sneering

c fearful

b enjoying

d admiring

5. Her refusal to do her share of the housework made her roommates feel very aggrieved. a exhausted

c puzzled

b resentful

d amused

B. Usage Choose the vocabulary word that best completes each of the following sentences. 1. To become a success in show business, she needed as much guile ________________ as she did talent. 2. Everyone knew that what was needed to settle the dispute was calm deliberation ________________. 3. After the boss’s unexpected announcement of a large bonus, the staff jubilantly meeting concluded ________________.



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Writing Link Character Sketch Have students choose one of the main characters in “The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer.” Have them write a brief sketch of their chosen character. Tell students that a character sketch provides a profile of a character’s personality. The description should be based on details such as the character’s actions as well as what he or she says. Tell students to include inferences about the character’s personality based on these details. Give them a length of 150 words. An effective character sketch should: • profile one of the main characters in the myth • be based on the character’s words and actions • include inferences about the character’s personality • keep within the space limit The Stealing of Thor's Hammer

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After You Read

After You Read

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

Problem and Solution Chart A Problem and Solution Chart can help you keep track of essential story events, specifically what problem a character confronts, what steps the character takes to solve the problem, and what the solution is. Use the chart below to outline the problem in “The Stealing of Thor’s Hammer, the steps the gods take to solve it, and the solution. Problem Possible response: King Loki has stolen and hidden Thor’s hammer and demands the goddess Freya in exchange for returning it.

Step Loki comes up with a plan: Thor will disguise himself as Freya and go to Jotunheim to marry King Loki.

Step Possible response: Thor and Loki disguise themselves and visit the King, pretending to grant his demand.

Step Possible response: King Loki brings out Thor’s hammer so he and “Freya” can swear their marriage vows on it.

Solution Possible response: Thor grabs hammer, kills King Loki, and returns to Asgard.

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 259–272, 314 In studying this text, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing plot pattern archetype. Reading: Making inferences about characters.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Selections Explain that students will read “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” by Joseph Bruchac and Gayle Ross, as well as two other selections that are part of the oral traditions of African Americans and Native Americans. Explain that these are written versions of stories that were passed from one generation to the next by word of mouth. Point out that legends and tall tales aren’t always totally factual. Invite students to summarize other legends or tall tales, such as “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “Johnny Appleseed,” or “Paul Bunyan.” Have students suggest what part of each tale might be factual and what part might be made up.

Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother by Joseph Bruchac and Gayle Ross

Ask: If stories are passed from one generation to the next orally rather than by being written down, how might this account for real people and events becoming “larger than life?” (As each generation tells the story, they expand on it and make up more details.)

John Henry

by Zora Neale Hurston

A

Song of Greatness Chippewa Traditional

Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother/John Henry/A Song of Greatness

259_272_G10_APP_Rescued.indd 259

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Selections

Literary Element • Suspense

Writing Link • Character Sketch

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Synonyms

Reading Strategy • Synthesize

BLM Grammar Link • Adjectives that Compare BLM




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Before You Read


Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother

John Henry A Song of Greatness

Connect to the Selections The three selections you are about to read share the theme of heroism. Heroes are people with courage and strength of spirit who face their fears and do what needs to be done. Sometimes heroes become well known. At other times, they work quietly in the background. Think about heroes you know or have read about. Choose one hero and answer the following questions: What did the person do or contribute that qualifies him or her as a hero? What qualities made this person heroic? Students might choose famous heroes or people they know personally. They might list selflessness and bravery as heroic qualities.

Connect to the Selections Write on the board: George Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, Jane Goodall. Invite students to discuss why and how each of these individuals might be considered a hero. Ask: Do you personally know any heroes? What makes someone a hero? As students respond, help them understand that heroes can come from any walk of life. Then have students complete the activity with a partner.

Build Background The Native Americans and African Americans depicted in these works suffered at the hands of whites. As you read each fact, write a sentence that explains how each event may have shaped people into heroes. •

In the 1870s, the U.S. government promised Native Americans that their land would always be theirs. When miners moved in looking for gold, the government ordered the Native Americans to leave. Possible answer: People would have fought to keep the land that had been promised to them. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

•

You may need to provide more background for the points. Ask: What was the role of African Americans in U.S. history? (They were enslaved.) Ask: How might an enslaved person become a hero? (Possible answer: By standing up to white people or by helping other African Americans at the risk of his/her own life.)

The story of John Henry is a tall tale, a folktale with a hero who is larger than life. During the time that the tale takes place, many African Americans were seen as inferior and made to do the hardest and most tiring work, such as driving steel spikes for railroad tracks. Possible answer: They were seen as inferior by white people, so they might have wanted to prove that they _________________________________________________________________________________________________ were better in some way. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

•

Native American mythology was passed down by storytellers. Native American young people grew up hearing about heroes and heroic actions of their people. Possible answer: Young people often see themselves doing the same brave tasks they hear about in stories. _________________________________________________________________________________________________


Set Purposes for Reading Each of these works focuses on the theme of an individual’s power to change their world. As you read, ask yourself how these works reveal common beliefs between different cultures.

Have students work in groups to develop a list of qualities that are considered heroic in contemporary American culture. Then, as they read the selections, have them compare and contrast the items on their lists with the qualities exhibited by the heroes in the selections.

Comparing Literature Inform students that “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” is a legend told as a story. “John Henry” is a poem based on a tall tale, and “A Song of Greatness” is a traditional poem. As students read the selections, encourage them to think about why the authors chose to use the forms that they did. For example, poetry often expresses feelings or impressions, which is why the author of “A Song of Greatness” may have chosen that form.

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Comparing Literature The Cheyenne, African American, and Chippewa cultures from which these works come all have oral traditions. This means that stories are passed from one generation to the next by word of mouth. As you read, ask yourself, How does the form of each selection shape the way the story is told? What would it be like to hear the selection rather than read it?

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Suspense

Suspense is a feeling of curiosity, uncertainty, or tension about what will happen next in a story. Suspense increases your interest in the outcome of a story by involving your emotions. The title of “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” creates suspense because it makes you wonder what will happen in the story. What question would you ask after reading the title? Students might ask questions such as What did she rescue him from? or How did she rescue him? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element Suspense Have students talk with a partner about what the title makes them feel or wonder about. Encourage students to discuss and list questions about the title.

Reading Strategy Synthesize To synthesize is to combine and apply your knowledge of different subjects to your reading. Synthesizing helps you connect what you read to your own life, to what you’ve read before, or to the world in general. As you read, refer back to the following table. Synthesize your knowledge of each factor with the story to make statements about the theme of heroism in “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother.” Factor Native American Culture

Reading Strategy Synthesize

Statement About Heroism In Native American culture, both women and men can be heroes.

Explain that one meaning of synthesize is “to put together.” Inform them that to synthesize, they should put together what they already know about a subject with what they read. Engage students in a discussion about what they already know about relationships between Native Americans and white officials and settlers during the settlement of the West. Record the ideas on the board. Tell students to refer to them as they complete the chart.

Gender Roles

U.S. History

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Synonyms are words that are the same or similar in meaning. To determine which words are synonyms, try substituting one word for another in context. For example, in the title “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother,” the verb saved can replace rescued without changing the meaning of the title. Synonyms are often found in the definition of a word. Read the vocabulary words and definitions in the side column and list one synonym for each vocabulary word. If necessary, use the dictionary to locate other meanings and/or synonyms.

Vocabulary confront (kən fruntˊ) ) v. to come face-to face with; to oppose

Vocabulary Synonyms

vault (vôlt) v. to jump; spring

Display the sentence The soldier was dauntless as he moved through the jungle. Have students look up the definition of the word dauntless. Ask: What word with the same meaning could you use in place of dauntless in the sentence? (fearless or unafraid) Tell students to use this same process to select synonyms for the three vocabulary words.

strategic (strə tēˊ jik) adj. highly important to an intended goal; planned

or oppose confront: face ____________________________________________________________________________________________ jump, spring, or leap vault: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ or planned strategic: important ____________________________________________________________________________________________



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Ask: Describe a time when you confronted someone or something. DESCRIPTION

Define: We confront something when we come face to face with it, or sometimes oppose it.

To vault means to jump or spring with a lot of energy. Tom vaults higher over the hurdles than anyone on the team. How is vaulting like hurdling? SYNONYM

Example: If I don’t confront my sister, she will continue to borrow all my clothes.

A strategic action is an important move that is carefully planned to achieve an outcome. Moving my pawn was part of my strategic plan to checkmate my opponent. How are the words strategic and strategy the same? How are they different? COMPARE AND CONTRAST


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Where the

Rescued Her Brother Read and Discuss


In small groups, read the second paragraph on this page. Then think about gender roles in contemporary society. Do the wives or husbands of public officials “share the weight of their spouse’s responsibility”? Discuss your ideas with the group.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk Get students started by encouraging them to think about specific officials and spouses, such as the wife of a president. Ask: Does it matter what kind of a person the spouse is or what the spouse does? (Students may say that the more important the official is and the more they are in the public eye, the more important it is for the spouse to avoid doing anything that can be criticized.) Encourage students to talk about what responsibility the spouse of an official has.

Literary Element Suspense Model locating and underlining the detail “like the black widow spider.” Ask: How do you feel when you think about people who are like spiders?” (I think they’re frightening and might hurt me.) Remind students that a simile compares two things using the words like or as. Ask: What simile does the author use? (like the black widow spider, they were very beautiful, but it was dangerous to get close to them)

Girl

Students may say that the ____________________________ spouse of a public official ____________________________ has duties related to the ____________________________ office, but doesn’t share the ____________________________ full responsibility for how ____________________________ the duties of the office are ____________________________ carried out. ____________________________

It was the moon when the choke-cherries were ripe. A young woman rode out of a Cheyenne camp with her husband and her brother. The young woman’s name was Buffalo Calf Road Woman. Her husband, Black Coyote, was one of the chiefs of the Cheyenne, the people of the plains who call themselves Tsis-tsistas, meaning simply “The People.” Buffalo Calf Road Woman’s brother, Comes-in-Sight, was also one of the Cheyenne chiefs, and it was well-known how close he was to his sister. Like many of the other young women of the Cheyenne, Buffalo Calf Road Woman was respected for her honorable nature. Although it was the men who most often went to war to defend the people—as they were doing on this day—women would accompany their husbands when they went to battle. If a man held an important position among the Cheyenne, such as the keeper of the Sacred Arrows, then his wife, too, would have to be of the highest moral character, for she shared the weight of his responsibility. Buffalo Calf Road Woman was well aware of this, and as she rode by her husband she did so with pride. She knew that today they were on their way to meet their old allies, the Lakota.1 They were going out to try to drive back the veho, the spider people who were trying to claim all the lands of the Native peoples.

Literary Element Suspense Underline the details on page 263 that describe how the Native Americans saw the white people. How do the details increase suspense?

Students may say that _______________________________ the comparison increases _______________________________ suspense because the _______________________________ spider’s bite can kill people, _______________________________ or because many people are _______________________________ afraid of spiders. _______________________________

1. The Lakota were the largest group of Sioux (soo) people. They hunted in the western Dakotas and Nebraska.

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The Cheyenne had been worried about the veho, the white people, for a long time. They had given them that name because, like the black widow spider, they were very beautiful but it was dangerous to get close to them. And unlike the Cheyenne, they seemed to follow a practice of making promises and not keeping them. Although their soldier chief Custer had promised to be friendly with the Cheyenne, now he and the others had come into their lands to make war upon them. Buffalo Calf Road Woman wore a robe embroidered with porcupine quills. The clothing of her brother and her husband, Black Coyote, was also beautifully decorated with those quills, which had been flattened, dyed in different colors, folded, and sewed on in patterns. Buffalo Calf Road Woman was proud that she belonged to the Society of Quilters. As with the men’s societies, only a few women—those of the best character—could join. Like the men, the women had to be strong, honorable, and brave. Buffalo Calf Road Woman had grown up hearing stories of how Cheyenne women would defend their families when the men were away. The women of the Cheyenne were brave, and those in the Society of Quilters were the bravest of all. Buffalo Calf Road Woman smiled as she remembered one day when the women of the Society of Quilters showed such bravery. It was during the Moon of Falling Leaves. A big hunt had been planned. The men who acted as scouts had gone out and located the great buffalo herd. They had seen, too, that there were no human enemies anywhere near their camp. So almost none of the men remained behind. On that day, when all the men were away, a great grizzly bear came into the camp. Such things seldom happened, but this bear was one that had been wounded in the leg by a white fur-trapper’s bullet. It could no longer hunt as it had before, and hunger brought it to the Cheyenne camp, where it smelled food cooking. When the huge bear came walking into the camp, almost everyone scattered. Some women grabbed their little children. Old people shut the door flaps of their tepees, and the boys ran to find their bows and arrows. Only a group of seven women who had been working on the embroidery of an elk-skin robe did not run. They were members of the Society of Quilters, and Buffalo Calf Road Woman was among them. The seven women

Reading Strategy Synthesize From your previous knowledge of U.S. history and Native American history, was Custer’s behavior expected or surprising to you? Explain.

Students may say that it was _______________________________ expected because the U.S. _______________________________


government had a history of _______________________________ breaking their promises to _______________________________ Native Americans. _______________________________

Literary Element Suspense Underline details in the last two paragraphs that create suspense. Then write what you think will happen next.

Students may say that the _______________________________ women will have to defend the _______________________________ camp against the bear, or that _______________________________ the bear will attack the camp. _______________________________

Reading Strategy Synthesize Review what students recall about the history of Native Americans and the settlement of the West. Ask: Why do you think the government promised the Native Americans that they could keep their land? (Students may say that they didn’t want to make trouble with the Native Americans, or that they didn’t want the land anyway.) If students are not aware of the history, explain that settlers came to Native American land looking for gold. The soldiers then stepped in to protect them. Have students use these ideas to answer the question.

_______________________________

Literary Element Suspense Suspense If students have trouble locating the details, then have them work in small groups. After reading the passage, have group members discuss their ideas about what will happen next and decide on a prediction. Groups can share and discuss their predictions.




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Language Note African American Vernacular English Speakers of African American vernacular English often pronounce /l/ with a vowel-like sound, particularly after the vowels in words such as cool and coal. It is difficult for AAVE speakers to develop phonemic awareness of the /l/ before consonants such as help, belt, and milk. Students may spell the words without the /l/. As students take turns reading the page aloud, monitor their pronunciation of words such as folded and quilters. Model the correct pronunciations.


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Vocabulary confront (kən fruntˊ) v. to come face-to face with; to oppose


Vocabulary Skill Synonyms Which of the following words is a synonym for the word confronted as it is used in the story? Circle your answer. stood

Vocabulary Skill Synonyms If students have difficulty selecting the correct synonym: Model Would it make sense to say “But stood by that determined group of women . . .”? No, so that’s not a synonym for confronted. Have students repeat this process until they identify the correct synonym.

faced harmed scattered

Reading Strategy Synthesize Based on what you know about Native American culture, why do you think the woman calls the bear Grandfather and talks to it as a person?

Students may say that Native _______________________________

Reading Strategy Synthesize Invite students to recall what they know about how Native Americans view animals. Remind students that animals appear as characters or even gods in the literature of many cultures. Ask: Why do you think the women talk to the bear rather than just chasing it away? The women probably believe the bear can understand them on some level.)

Americans see animals as their _______________________________ equals. Many Native American _______________________________ creation stories tell of animals _______________________________ creating the world. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Literary Element Suspense If students have trouble locating sensory words and phrases, Ask: What words or phrases help you see the scene more clearly? (They had put on their finest clothes, raised their headdresses) Ask: What words or phrases help you hear the scene? (rumble of the horses’ hooves echoed, sound of trumpets, stomped their feet) Ask: How does helping you see and hear the scene increase suspense? (It makes it clear that a big battle will be taking place and makes me excited to see what will happen.)

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put down their work, picked up the weapons they had close to hand, and stood to face the grizzly bear. Now of all of the animals of the plains, the only one fierce enough and powerful enough to attack a human was the grizzly. But confronted by that determined group of women, the grizzly bear stopped in its tracks. It had come to steal food, not fight. The head of the Society of Quilters stepped forward a pace and spoke to the bear. “Grandfather,” she said, her voice low and firm, “we do not wish to harm you, but we will protect our camp. Go back to your own home.” The grizzly shook its head and then turned and walked out of the camp. The women stood and watched it as it went down through the cottonwoods and was lost from sight along the bend of the stream. Buffalo Calf Road Woman turned her mind away from her memories. They were close to Rosebud Creek. The scouts had told them that a great number of the veho soldiers would be there and that the Gray Fox, General George Crook, was in command. The Cheyenne had joined up now with the Oglala,2 led by Crazy Horse. The Lakota people were always friends to the Cheyenne, but this man, Crazy Horse, was the best friend of all. Some even said that he was one of their chiefs, too, as well as being a war leader of his Oglala. There were Crow and Shoshone3 scouts with Crook, and the veho had many cannons. The Lakota and the Cheyenne were outnumbered by the two thousand men in Crook’s command. But they were prepared to fight. They had put on their finest clothes, for no man should risk his life without being dressed well enough so that if he died, the enemy would know a great warrior had fallen. Some of the men raised their headdresses three times, calling out their names and the deeds they had done. Those headdresses of eagle feathers were thought to give magical protection to a warrior. Other men busied themselves painting designs on their war ponies. Now they could hear Crook’s army approaching. The rumble of the horses’ hooves echoed down the valley, and there was the sound of trumpets. War ponies reared up and stomped their feet. Many of the Cheyenne men found it hard to put on

Literary Element Suspense Underline words and phrases on this page that appeal to the senses in order to create suspense.

2. The Oglala (ōg läʼ lə) were a group of Sioux people who lived in what is now South Dakota. 3. The Crow and Shoshone (shə shōʼnē) peoples lived mainly in the Rocky Mountains.

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the last of their paint as their hands shook from the excitement of the coming battle. Crazy Horse vaulted onto his horse and held up one arm. “Hoka Hey,” he cried. “It is a good day to die.” Buffalo Calf Road Woman watched from a hill as the two lines of men—the blue soldiers to one side, and the Lakota and Cheyenne to the other—raced toward each other. The battle began. It was not a quick fight or an easy one. There were brave men on both sides. Two Moons, Little Hawk, Yellow Eagle, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse were only a few of the great warriors who fought for the Cheyenne and the Lakota. And Crook, the Gray Fox general of the whites, was known to be a tough fighter and a worthy enemy. Buffalo Calf Road Woman’s husband, Black Coyote, and her brother, Comes-in-Sight, were in the thick of the fight. The odds in the battle were almost even. Although the whites had more soldiers and guns, the Lakota and the Cheyenne were better shots and better horsemen. Had it not been for the Crow and Shoshone scouts helping Crook, the white soldiers might have broken quickly from the ferocity of the attack.


Vocabulary vault (vôlt) v. to jump; spring

Vocabulary Skill Synonyms Why do you think the authors use the word vaulted rather than jumped or climbed to describe the way Crazy Horse mounted his horse?


Students may say that vaulted ______________________________ is a more vivid and exciting ______________________________

Vocabulary Skill Synonyms

word that helps the reader ______________________________ visualize the energy that Crazy ______________________________ Horse brought to the battle.” ______________________________

Remind students that, even though two words may have the same general meaning, they may trigger a different thought or feeling in the reader. Write on the board the words walk, saunter, stroll, march, and stride. Ask: How does each word change what you visualize? (Students should describe people walking faster, slower, or with more or less purpose.) Tell students to monitor their visualizations as they answer the question about vaulted.

READING CHECK Clarify Why are the Cheyenne and Lakota fighting the veho? Possible answer: The veho are trying to drive them off the ______________________________________________________ land that they have always occupied. The U.S. government ______________________________________________________ promised them that they could stay there. They are ______________________________________________________ defending their land. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Clarify If students are having difficulty, show them how to skim the text on the first page until they reach the phrase “. . . they were on their way to meet their old allies, the Lakota.” Have students work in small groups to continue reading from that point, and have them list the reasons why the Cheyenne and Lakota are fighting the veho.


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Literary Element Suspense How does the paragraph that begins with the highlighted sentence build suspense?


The descriptions of the pony _______________________________ being killed, the Crow warriors _______________________________ surrounding Buffalo Calf Road _______________________________ Woman’s brother, and the fact _______________________________

Literary Element Suspense Ask: What sort of thing would horrify you? (someone getting hurt or killed, someone doing something really bad) Help students use clues from the story, such as the title, the fact that Lakota and Cheyenne are outnumbered, and Buffalo Calf Road Woman’s love for her brother to make a reasonable prediction about what she might be seeing. Then have students monitor how the line makes them feel and decide why the line builds suspense.

Reading Strategy Synthesize Invite students to think about watching an exciting game between their favorite team and an opposing team. Ask: Did you ever admire or cheer a play made by a member of the opposing team? As students respond, have them relate this to the veho soldiers cheering the actions of Buffalo Calf Road Woman.

that he will soon be out of _______________________________ ammunition all suggest that he _______________________________ will soon be killed. _______________________________ _______________________________

Reading Strategy Synthesize Think about what you know about people’s attitudes toward courageous acts. Is it reasonable that soldiers from both sides would stop fighting and cheer Buffalo Calf Road Woman’s actions? Explain.

Students may say that people _______________________________ admire heroism and courage _______________________________

From one side to the other, groups of men attacked and retreated as the guns cracked, cannons boomed, and smoke filled the air. The war shouts of the Lakota and the Cheyenne were almost as loud as the rumble of the guns. The sun moved across the sky as the fight went on, hour after hour, while the confusion of battle swirled below. Then Buffalo Calf Road Woman saw something that horrified her. Her brother had been drawn off to one side, surrounded by Crow scouts. He tried to ride free of them, but his pony went down, struck by a rifle bullet and killed. Now he was on foot, still fighting. The Crow warriors were trying to get close, to count coup4 on him. It was more of an honor to touch a living enemy, so they were not firing their rifles at him. And he was able to keep them away with his bow and arrows. But it was clear that soon he would be out of ammunition and would fall to the enemy. Buffalo Calf Road Woman waited no longer. She dug her heels into her pony’s sides and galloped down the hill. Her head low, her braids streaming behind her, she rode into the heart of the fight. Some men moved aside as they saw her coming, for there was a determined look in her eyes. She made the long howling cry that Cheyenne women used to urge on the warriors. This time, however, she was the one going into the fight. Her voice was as strong as an eagle’s. Her horse scattered the ponies of the Crow scouts who were closing in on her brother, Comesin-Sight. She held out a hand; her brother grabbed it and vaulted onto the pony behind her. Then she wheeled, ducking the arrows of the Crow scouts, and heading back up the hill. That was when it happened. For a moment, it seemed as if all the shooting stopped. The Cheyenne and the Lakota, and even the veho soldiers, lowered their guns to watch this act of great bravery. A shout went up, not from one side but from both, as Buffalo Calf Road Woman reached the safety of the hilltop again, her brother safe behind her on her horse. White men and Indians cheered her.

regardless of who is doing it. _______________________________ They might not have stopped _______________________________ fighting, but they would _______________________________ personally have respected what _______________________________ she did. _______________________________

4. For some Native American peoples, to count coup (koo) meant to touch an enemy and get away safely. This required both skill and courage.

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So it was that Buffalo Calf Road Woman performed the act for which the people would always remember her. Inspired by her courage, the Cheyenne and Lakota drove back the Gray Fox—Crook made a strategic withdrawal. “Even the veho general was impressed,” said the Cheyenne people. “He saw that if our women were that brave, he would stand no chance against us in battle.” So it is that to this day, the Cheyenne and the Lakota people do not refer to the fight as the Battle of the Rosebud. Instead, they honor Buffalo Calf Road Woman by calling the fight Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother.

Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother Vocabulary strategic (strə téʼ jik) adj. highly important to an intended goal; planned

Reading Strategy Synthesize Think about the names of famous battles, such as those in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and the World Wars. How does the way the Cheyenne and Lakota named this battle differ from the way battles are normally named?

Most battles are named for _______________________________ some geographical feature _______________________________ or the name of the town or _______________________________ place where they occurred. _______________________________

Interactive Question-Response Reading Strategy Synthesize If students have difficulty, share with them the following battle names from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars: Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Gettysburg, Battle of Antietam. Ask: What do the names of these battles have in common? (They are named after the places where they occurred.)

The Cheyenne and the Lakota _______________________________ named the battle after what _______________________________ they thought was the most _______________________________

READING CHECK

important action. _______________________________

Question What questions would you ask to repair your comprehension of what has happened in the story? Students may ask questions such as What happened after ______________________________________________________

the battle?, Were the Cheyenne and Lakota able to keep ______________________________________________________ their land? or Was it unusual for Native American women to ______________________________________________________ take part in a battle? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________



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Reading Check Question Help students who have trouble with this question by modeling your own thought processes: Model Is there anything about the story that isn’t clear to me? What would I like to know more about? Encourage students to use these and other questions to monitor their comprehension of the story.


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John Henry


John Henry Comparing Literature

1

“Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” is prose, while “John Henry” is poetry. How does this affect the details that the authors include about their heroes? 2

Comparing Literature Students should recognize that “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” is a story or legend and “John Henry” is a poem. Ask: How does the form of “John Henry” shape the kind of story the author tells? (Students may say that there isn’t as much detail and it’s more of an impression than a story.) Point out that the setting of “John Henry” is established in the first two lines of the poem. Ask: How does the author use rhyme and repetition to enhance the story? (Students may realize that the rhyme and repetition of the poem sounds like hammer pounding the steel.)

There is room for more detail _______________________________ in the prose. John Henry sets _______________________________ the scene in the first lines, but _______________________________ the rest is more about what _______________________________

John Henry told his Captain, Man ain’t nothing but a man, And ’fore I’ll let that steam drill beat me down I’ll die with this hammer in my hand, Die with this hammer in my hand.

4

Captain ast John Henry, What is that storm I hear? He says Cap’n that ain’t no storm, ‘Tain’t nothing but my hammer in the air, Nothing but my hammer in the air.

5

John Henry told his Captain, Bury me under the sills of the floor, So when they get to playing good old Georgy skin,3 Bet ’em fifty to a dollar more, Fifty to a dollar more.

what happens. _______________________________

_______________________________

Read and Discuss With a partner, discuss what you have learned about John Henry’s character so far.


John Henry told his Captain,2 When you go to town Please bring me back a nine pound hammer And I’ll drive your steel on down, And I’ll drive your steel on down.

3

he says and thinks than about _______________________________

_______________________________

John Henry driving on the right hand side, Steam drill1 driving on the left, Says, ’fore I’ll let your steam drill beat me down I’ll hammer my fool self to death, Hammer my fool self to death.

Students may say that he is ____________________________

Encourage students to talk about (1) what John Henry was trying to prove, (2) why it was important to beat the steam drill, and (3) what characteristics he would need to have to be willing to die rather than lose.

brave and proud, but also ____________________________ foolish because he is willing ____________________________ to die rather than to lose. ____________________________

1. A steam drill is a steam-powered machine used to cut through rock. Human workers had to hammer the rock by hand. 2. Here, the Captain is the boss of the railroad workers. 3. Georgy skin is slang for Georgia Skin, a card game.

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John Henry

John Henry 6

John Henry had a little woman, The dress she wore was red, Says I’m going down the track, And she never looked back. I’m going where John Henry fell dead, Going where John Henry fell dead.

7

Who’s going to shoe your pretty li’l’ feet? And who’s going to glove your hand? Who’s going to kiss your dimpled cheek? And who’s going to be your man? Who’s going to be your man?

8

My father’s going to shoe my pretty li’l’ feet; My brother’s going to glove my hand; My sister’s going to kiss my dimpled cheek; John Henry’s going to be my man, John Henry’s going to be my man.

9

Where did you get your pretty li’l’ dress? The shoes you wear so fine? I got my shoes from a railroad man, My dress from a man in the mine, My dress from a man in the mine.

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature Comparing Literature Do you think the woman in “John Henry” shows courage? If so, is it the same kind of courage shown by Buffalo Calf Road Woman? Explain.

Possible answer: The woman _______________________________ in John Henry shows courage _______________________________ because she didn’t let his _______________________________ death keep her down. It isn’t _______________________________

Get students started by asking them what they think courage is. Point out that standing up to ridicule or moving on even when you don’t know what will happen are examples of courage. Invite students to describe the actions of everyday people they know who have done courageous things. Write several of their ideas on the board. Ask: Did John Henry’s woman show courage? Why or why not? (Students should recognize that she didn’t just give up when John Henry died.)

the same kind of physical _______________________________

READING CHECK Summarize In two sentences, summarize the story that the poem tells.

action that Buffalo Calf Road _______________________________ Woman takes, but it shows _______________________________ inner courage. _______________________________

John Henry wants to prove that he is better than the ______________________________________________________ steam engine, but he dies. His woman lives on and shows ______________________________________________________ persistence and courage. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

John Henry


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Reading Check Summarize If students have difficulty summarizing the poem, Ask: What did you learn about John Henry? What did you learn about John Henry’s woman? Have students rephrase what they learned about each person as a single sentence.

John Henry

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A Song of Greatness

A Song of Greatness

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature If students have difficulty with the question, Ask: Whose thoughts do you think are expressed in this poem? (the thoughts of a young person about the heroic deeds of his or her people and how he or she will become a hero) Point out to students that the speaker in the poem seems to be someone who is listening to a story, rather than someone who is telling one, like the narrators of the first two selections.


5

How does the speaker in this selection differ from the narrators in “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” and “John Henry”?

Possible answer: This selection _______________________________ is in the first person. The _______________________________ selection sounds like what _______________________________

10

When I hear the old men Telling of heroes, Telling of great deeds Of ancient days— When I hear that telling, Then I think within me I, too, am one of these. When I hear the people Praising great ones, Then I know that I too— Shall be esteemed; I, too, when my time comes Shall do mightily

a young person would be _______________________________ thinking as he or she listened _______________________________ to someone talk about the _______________________________ history of the people. _______________________________ _______________________________

READING CHECK Predict What do you think will happen to the speaker of the poem as he or she grows older? Students may say that the speaker will try to live up to the ______________________________________________________ stories and be like the heroes of the Chippewa people. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Predict Point out that each selection describes a different stage in the life of a heroic person. “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” is about the hero’s great acts. “John Henry” is about the hero’s death. Ask: What part of a hero’s life does “A Song of Greatness” describe? (the hero’s early years) Have students work in small groups to talk about what they think will happen to the speaker in the future.

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After You Read


After You Read


Connect to the Selections Look back at the Connect feature on page 260. Prepare a chart that gives the heroic deeds and qualities of each of the characters in the three selections. Name of Hero

Heroic Deed Rode into battle to save her brother from being killed

Heroic Qualities courage, self-sacrifice, fearlessness, responsibility

John Henry

Tried to drive more steel spikes than a steam engine

determination, pride, fearlessness

Speaker

Imagines himself or herself doing something heroic

willingness, pride in heritage

Buffalo Calf Road Woman

Connect to the Selections Students may be confused about what heroic deed the speaker of “A Song of Greatness” performs. Remind them that the heroic nature of the speaker is appearing and is being fed by the stories he or she hears. Ask: What qualities would the speaker have to have to turn what he or she hears into heroic deeds later in life? (willingness, strength of spirit, courage)

Literary Element Suspense In “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother,” the authors use sensory details to draw the reader into the story. Visualize the part of the story that seems the most suspenseful to you. Describe the scene in your own words, using at least three sensory details to heighten the suspense for the reader. Try to involve three different senses. Answers will vary, but students should include at least three details that appeal to sight, sound, touch, _________________________________________________________________________________________________ or smell. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Synthesize Look back at the graphic organizer on page 261. How does synthesizing your knowledge of historical events with events in “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” deepen your understanding of the story? Students may say that it gives them a greater appreciation for what the people in the story are feeling and _________________________________________________________________________________________________ why they are fighting. _________________________________________________________________________________________________



Grammar Link

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BLM

Adjectives that Compare Prepare students to complete the activity on page A32. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.


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After You Read

After You Read



Vocabulary A. Word Meaning For each of the following sentences, select the sentence that has the same meaning.

After Reading

1. Sheila confronted the woman who had told lies about her.


a Sheila asked the woman why she had told lies about her. b Sheila came face to face with the woman who had told lies about her. 2. As the dog chased me, I vaulted over the fence. a As the dog chased me, I jumped over the fence. b As the dog chased me, I climbed over the fence. 3. The candidate made a strategic move by refusing to debate his opponent. a The candidate made a carefully planned move by refusing to debate his opponent. b The candidate made a complicated move by refusing to debate his opponent.

B. Synonyms Replace each underlined word or phrase in the sentence with its synonym.

confronted

vaulted

strategic

strategic As part of Crazy Horse’s planned ______________________ attack, the Cheyenne and Lakota horses and their riders hurdled

vaulted ______________________ the bushes that concealed them and faced confronted ______________________ the veho.


➡

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Writing Link Character Sketch Inform students that in a character sketch, one makes observations about various qualities of a character and passes along that information to another reader in a clear, concise way. A character sketch might include physical descriptions; what the character says, does, or thinks; what others say to or about the character; how the character treats others; and the character’s personality traits. Have small groups of students jot down notes about these qualities as found in Buffalo Calf Road Woman, and then have each student write a character sketch. An effective character sketch should • use concise, clear, and direct language • support its claims with evidence from the text

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 273–286 In studying these texts, you will focus on the following objectives: Literary Study: Analyzing stream of consciousness. Comparing literature across genres.


Reading: Interpreting imagery.

Talk About the Selections Explain that, in these three selections, the writers explore the place where the real world and the dream world meet. Tell students that Jamaica Kincaid’s short story invites the reader to experience a recurring dream in which elements of real life appear as symbols. Denise Levertov’s poem explores the search for identity in a hectic, urban society. Anna Akhmatova’s poem gives a glimpse into the culture of fear, loss, and oppression that she once inhabited.

What I Have Been Doing Lately

Point out that, even though these writers come from different cultures, they share the experiences of humans everywhere. Ask: How can different literary forms and devices help authors write about experiences that everyone has and still bring something fresh to their writing? (Students should recognize that, even though authors write about the same experience, they express it in different ways or in a different literary form. The voice and imagery they use to describe their experience is different. This gives the reader new insights into familiar problems.)

by Jamaica Kincaid

People at Night by Denise Levertov

The

Dream

by Anna Akhmatova

What I Have Been Doing Lately/People at Night/The Dream

273-286_GR10_APP_WhatIHave.indd 273

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Selections

Literary Element • Stream of Consciousness

Fluency Pacing: Meaningful Phrases

Vocabulary • Selection Vocabulary • Analogies


BLM Grammar Link • Adverbs Modifying Verbs BLM


Writing Link • Poem


What Have I Been Doing Lately/People at Night/The Dream

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Before You Read


What I Have Been Doing Lately People at Night

The Dream

Connect to the Selections You are about to read a short story about a dream, a poem about searching in the darkness, and a poem about a dream. Each contains parts of the outer world and parts of the world inside the narrator or speaker. Think about events that happen in dreams, such as being able to fly, being chased, or being lost. What events in the outer world might these things represent? How do they connect with your life? Write your answers on the lines below.

Connect to the Selections Invite volunteers to describe experiences that people sometimes have in dreams, such as flying, being chased, or being unable to move. On the board, write down a few of the experiences. Point out that some dream experiences may be symbols for things the person did or thought about during the day. Ask: Have you ever had a dream that you felt contained a message or a lesson? After students respond, have them discuss the questions with a partner. Emphasize that students do not have to reveal personal or embarrassing information.

Students may relate the symbols to life events. For example, a deadline for a school project may lead to a dream ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ of being chased. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ As you read the author information below, imagine being each of the authors. In what way might your writing reflect your experiences? Write one idea under each fact. •

Jamaica Kincaid was born on the Caribbean island of Antigua but wanted to live elsewhere. Her relationship with her mother was difficult. After coming to the United States, Kincaid wrote fiction about home and family. Possible answer: She might have used people or places in Antigua as characters and settings in her stories. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

•

Denise Levertov believed that poetry had the power to change people. Rainer Maria Rilke, a German poet who wrote about separation and loneliness, was a major influence on her. Possible answer: She might write poetry that explores serious subjects. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Build Background

•

Help students put themselves in the place of the authors. Ask: If you couldn’t wait to get away from your home and family, why would you write about them later? (Students may say they didn’t know how much they would miss home and family; or they may say they were trying to understand why they wanted to get away.)

During Stalin’s rule in the Soviet Union, Anna Akhmatova was forced to burn her early writings. Her husband was killed and her son imprisoned. The month of August was the anniversary of the worst events in her life. Possible answer: Her poetry might be sad, reflecting her own life. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading As you read, think about how your dreams can reflect and affect your life.


A description is a detailed portrayal of a person, place, object, or event. Writers use rich sensory details to re-create experiences and sensations. As you read, look for words and phrases that appeal to the senses.

Comparing Literature Model the process of identifying description by reading aloud the first five sentences in the story. Ask: How does this make you feel? What does it make you wonder? (Students may say that it makes them curious about who rang the bell or it makes them wonder what will happen next.)

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Literary Element

Before You Read

Stream of Consciousness

Stream of consciousness is a literary device that carries a reader along with a character’s free-flowing thoughts, feelings, and memories. Ideas and feelings unfold on the page in the same rambling way they occur in the character’s mind. To experience stream of consciousness, think of a phrase, such as a sunny day. Write the phrase at the top of your paper. Quickly write down something that the phrase reminds you of. Let your mind wander freely as you write down one idea after another for about a minute. Compare the first phrase with the last words you wrote. Are they related in any way?

Literary Element Stream of Consciousness


Point out that stream of consciousness is a metaphor. It compares thoughts, or consciousness, to a stream that just drifts along from place to place, touching briefly on ideas, images, and experiences and then flowing past them. You may wish to do the exercise as a whole-group activity, with each student responding to the phrase of the previous student.

Interpreting imagery means looking carefully at sensory details, such as those that describe what the narrator sees and hears. Then analyze what the imagery means in relationship to the story. As you read, list in the chart the images you encounter. Think about what they tell you about the setting, the events, or the narrator. Write your interpretation in the second column. Image “a big body of water . . . I wanted to get across it”

Interpretation Does the water symbolize a problem the narrator is having?

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Vocabulary

Direct students’ attention to the line, “I wanted to get across it but I couldn’t swim.” Ask: What do you think the body of water represents? (Students should suggest that it represents a problem that the author doesn’t know how to solve.)

Analogies

An analogy is a comparison that is based on relationships between words. For example: condemn : praise :: insult : compliment Read this as: Condemn is to praise as insult is to compliment.

Vocabulary verandah (və ranʼ də) n. a long porch, usually with a roof, that extends along a house horizon (hə riʼ zən) n. the place where the earth and the sky seem to meet

Relationship: The words in each pair are antonyms (opposites).

dutiful (dooʼ ti fəl) adj. careful to perform all tasks that are expected or required; willingly obedient

Read the vocabulary words and definitions in the side column. Then work with a partner to identify the relationship between the words in the following analogy.

interlaced (inʼ tər lāstʼ) adj. connected or woven together

Vocabulary Analogies Many students have trouble with analogies. Write on the board the following common relationships and examples: part/whole (wheel : bicycle); object/property (apple : red); example/class (car : transportation); synonyms (fragile : delicate); and antonyms (difficult : easy).

verandah : covered :: horizon : distant The relationship is object to property of object. A verandah is covered, and a horizon is distant. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: A verandah is a porch, usually with a roof, along the side of a house. Example: The verandah ran around three sides of our house. Ask: How is a verandah like a deck? How is it different? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

The horizon is the place or line where the sky and earth appear to meet. I watched the sun drop below the horizon. What makes it possible to see the horizon? EXPLANATION

The word interlaced describes something that is woven together. The girl’s braids were interlaced with ribbons. What is the opposite of interlaced? ANTONYM

Dutiful describes a person who is motivated by a sense of duty or responsibility. The dutiful student always turned in his assignments promptly. Describe a time when you acted dutifully. DESCRIPTION


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What Have I Been Doing Lately

Interactive Question-Response Literary Element Stream of Consciousness Before students respond, encourage them to reread the paragraph. Ask: Would you have expected her to get into a boat after saying it would take years to build one? (No.) Remind students that illogical sequences of events are signs of stream-of-consciousness thinking.

What I Have Been Doing Lately Literary Element Stream of Consciousness Is the statement about the boat logical? Why or why not? How is this statement an example of stream of consciousness? Working with a partner, write your answers on a separate piece of paper.

Vocabulary verandah (və ranˊ də) n. a long porch, usually with a roof, that extends along a house

Read and Discuss Both the dog and boy look the other way when they see the narrator. What might these images have represented in the author’s life? Get together with a partner and decide on an interpretation. Write it on the lines below.

Read and Discuss Partner Talk If students have problems answering this question, Ask: What do you think it means if you look at someone and that person looks away? (Answers will vary, but students may say that it means the person doesn’t like them or isn’t interested in them.) Ask: Could that person’s action be unrelated to you? (Yes; he or she might be busy or just not have seen me.)

What I have been doing lately: I was lying in bed and the doorbell rang. I ran down-stairs. Quick. I opened the door. There was no one there. I stepped outside. Either it was drizzling or there was a lot of dust in the air and the dust was damp. I stuck out my tongue and the drizzle or the damp dust tasted like government school ink. I looked north. I looked south. I decided to start walking north. While walking north, I noticed that I was barefoot. While walking north, I looked up and saw the planet Venus. I said, “It must be almost morning.” I saw a monkey in a tree. The tree had no leaves. I said, “Ah, a monkey. Just look at that. A monkey.” I walked for I don’t know how long before I came up to a big body of water. I wanted to get across it but I couldn’t swim. I wanted to get across it but it would take me years to build a boat. I wanted to get across it but it would take me I didn’t know how long to build a bridge. Years passed and then one day, feeling like it, I got into my boat and rowed across. When I got to the other side, it was noon and my shadow was small and fell beneath me. I set out on a path that stretched out straight ahead. I passed a house, and a dog was sitting on the verandah but it looked the other way when it saw me coming. I passed a boy tossing a ball in the air but the boy looked the other way when he saw me coming. I walked and I walked but I couldn’t tell if I walked a long time because my feet didn’t feel as if they would drop off. I turned around to see

Possible answer: The author ____________________________ could have felt that everyone ____________________________ ignored her or that no one ____________________________ was interested in her. ____________________________

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what I had left behind me but nothing was familiar. Instead of the straight path, I saw hills. Instead of the boy with his ball, I saw tall flowering trees. I looked up and the sky was without clouds and seemed near, as if it were the ceiling in my house and, if I stood on a chair, I could touch it with the tips of my fingers. I turned around and looked ahead of me again. A deep hole had opened up before me. I looked in. The hole was deep and dark and I couldn’t see the bottom. I thought, What’s down there?, so on purpose I fell in. I fell and I fell, over and over, as if I were an old suitcase. On the sides of the deep hole I could see things written, but perhaps it was in a foreign language because I couldn’t read them. Still I fell, for I don’t know how long. As I fell I began to see that I didn’t like the way falling made me feel. Falling made me feel sick and I missed all the people I had loved. I said, I don’t want to fall anymore, and I reversed myself. I was standing again on the edge of the deep hole. I looked at the deep hole and I said, You can close up now, and it did. I walked some more without knowing distance. I only knew that I passed through days and nights, I only knew that I passed through rain and shine, light and darkness. I was never thirsty and I felt no pain. Looking at the horizon, I made a joke for myself: I said, “The earth has thin lips,” and I laughed. Looking at the horizon again, I saw a lone figure coming toward me, but I wasn’t frightened because I was sure it was my mother. As I got closer to the figure, I could see that it wasn’t my mother, but still I wasn’t frightened because I could see that it was a woman. When this woman got closer to me, she looked at me hard and then she threw up her hands. She must have seen me somewhere before because she said, “It’s you. Just look at that. It’s you. And just what have you been doing lately?” I could have said, “I have been praying not to grow any taller.” I could have said, “I have been listening carefully to my mother’s words, so as to make a good imitation of a dutiful daughter.” I could have said, “A pack of dogs, tired from chasing each other all over town, slept in the moonlight.” Instead, I said, What I have been doing lately: I was lying in bed on my back, my hands drawn up, my fingers interlaced

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Does it make sense that the narrator doesn’t recognize anything she just walked past? Check one box. ■ Yes ✓ No ■ What is your interpretation of this image? Write your response in the sentence frame below.


The unfamiliar landscape means

the narrator feels confused that ___________________________ or scared _______________________________

Literary Element Stream of Consciousness Reread the section about the hole. Underline words and phrases that show something not logical that happens during stream of consciousness.

Vocabulary horizon (hə riʼ zən) n. the place where the earth and the sky seem to meet dutiful (dooʼ ti fəl) adj. careful to perform all tasks that are expected or required; willingly obedient interlaced (inʼ tər lāstʼ) adj. connected or woven together

Vocabulary Skill Analogies Read the analogy and circle the letter of the best answer. horizon : sunset :: sky : ________ a. desert b. astronomy c. earth d. stars




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Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Students may have trouble with the illogical events of the story. To clarify, Ask: How would you feel if you couldn’t recognize anyplace you had just been? (scared, disoriented, confused)

Literary Element Stream of Consciousness Spot-check student responses. Discuss why a writer might choose the stream-of-consciousness style of writing. (Possible answers: it is surprising and entertaining for the reader; it frees the writer from having to develop logical reasons for every event in the plot; everyone dreams, so every reader can appreciate the style’s dreamlike quality)

Vocabulary Skill Analogies Ask students to raise their hands for the correct answer as you read aloud the four choices. (If you wish, have students close their eyes so they will not be influenced by others’ responses.) If students have difficulty: Model The horizon is where I see the sunset, and the sky is where I see the stars. So D is the answer that makes sense.

Fluency Pacing: Meaningful Phrases Tell students that they will be doing a choral reading from this page and provide them with starting and end points. Remind students to focus on reading the passage ahead of time to decide where they will pause, so that the phrases have meaning. Model the fluency skill as you read the text at a moderate tempo, and give students time to read the passage silently. Then have one student start reading the passage. Have another student join in at the second sentence, a third join in at the third sentence, and so on. When students reach the end of the passage, have pairs of students reread the passage to each other. To assess an individual student’s fluency, use the Oral Reading Guidelines on page T16.


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Literary Element Stream of Consciousness What is happening at this point in the story? How is this part of the story an example of stream of consciousness?

The narrator describes the same _______________________________ events as at the beginning, but _______________________________ with slightly different details. _______________________________

Literary Element Stream of Consciousness Make sure that students understand that the story repeats the same events with slightly different details.

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Suggest that students imagine sticking out their tongues and tasting “damp dust.” Ask: Does that sound like a pleasant thing to do? (No.) Ask: Would tasting ink be a pleasant thing to do? (No.)

Stream-of-consciousness writing _______________________________ is often a rambling description _______________________________ of someone’s thoughts and _______________________________ feelings. _______________________________

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery With a partner, complete this sentence frame. The narrator’s imagery about “government school ink” suggests that her memories of school were

unpleasant; ____________ because “drizzle” __________ and “damp dust” sound _______________________________ disagreeable. _______________________________ _______________________________


If students have difficulty, ask volunteers to point out words and phrases that suggest a change in mood. (Possible answers: “I threw a stone,” “a deep gash,” “felt false to me,” “all around me was black mud,” “If only I could get out of this”)

lightly at the nape of my neck.1 Someone rang the doorbell. I went downstairs and opened the door but there was no one there. I stepped outside. Either it was drizzling or there was a lot of dust in the air and the dust was damp. I stuck out my tongue and the drizzle or the damp dust tasted like government school ink. I looked north and I looked south. I started walking north. While walking north, I wanted to move fast, so I removed the shoes from my feet. While walking north, I looked up and saw the planet Venus and I said, “If the sun went out, it would be eight minutes before I would know it.” I saw a monkey sitting in a tree that had no leaves and I said, “A monkey. Just look at that. A monkey.” I picked up a stone and I threw it at the monkey. The monkey, seeing the stone, quickly moved out of its way. Three times I threw a stone at the monkey and three times it moved away. The fourth time I threw the stone, the monkey caught it and threw it back at me. The stone struck me on my forehead over my right eye, making a deep gash. The gash healed immediately but now the skin on my forehead felt false to me. I walked for I don’t know how long before I came to a big body of water. I wanted to get across, so when the boat came I paid my fare. When I got to the other side, I saw a lot of people sitting on the beach and they were having a picnic. They were the most beautiful people I had ever seen. Everything about them was black and shiny. Their skin was black and shiny. Their shoes were black and shiny. Their hair was black and shiny. The clothes they wore were black and shiny. I could hear them laughing and chatting and I said, I would like to be with these people, so I started to walk toward them, but when I got up close to them I saw that they weren’t at a picnic and they weren’t beautiful and they weren’t chatting and laughing. All around me was black mud and the people all looked as if they had been made up out of the black mud. I looked up and saw that the sky seemed far away and nothing I could stand on would make me able to touch it with my fingertips. I thought, If only I could get out of this, so I started to walk. I must have walked for a long time because my feet hurt and felt as if they would drop off. I thought, If only just around the bend I would see my house and inside my house I would find my bed, freshly made at that, and in the kitchen I would find my mother or anyone else that

How does the mood of the story change each time the narrator describes the same series of events?

It gets darker and more ____________________________ depressing. ____________________________ 1. The nape of my neck means “the back of my neck.”

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Language Note African American Vernacular English: The Possessive System In African American vernacular English, the ’s suffix is unecessary and is sometimes left out, yielding “mother voice,” rather than “mother’s voice.” In a small group, write the following phrases on the board and ask students to supply the missing apostrophe to show possession: 1. the authors dream (author’s) 2. the daughters answer (daughter’s) 3. the beds mattress (bed’s) 4. the doorbells sound (doorbell’s)

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I loved making me a custard. I thought, If only it was a Sunday and I was sitting in a church and I had just heard someone sing a psalm. I felt very sad so I sat down. I felt so sad that I rested my head on my own knees and smoothed my own head. I felt so sad I couldn’t imagine feeling any other way again. I said, I don’t like this. I don’t want to do this anymore. And I went back to lying in bed, just before the doorbell rang.


Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery What does the narrator’s description of the people turning to mud suggest about the author’s experiences with people in real life?

Possible answer: She has found _______________________________ that people aren’t as nice or _______________________________


beautiful as they seem once _______________________________ she gets to know them. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Literary Element Stream of Consciousness Underline words or phrases that suggest that the narrator would like to end her “adventures” in the dream.

READING CHECK Question What questions do you have about the story that would help you understand it better?

Reading Strategy

If students have trouble, break the question into smaller segments. Ask: How does the narrator feel about the people when she first sees them? (She says they’re beautiful and that she wants to be with them.) What happens when she gets closer? (They’re not what they seemed to be from far away.) How is this like something that can happen to you in the real world? (Possible answer: You admire people from afar, but find they’re not so nice when you get to know them.)

Interpret Imagery Complete the sentence. The last sentence in the story

Possible questions: Why are events in the story repeated? ______________________________________________________

makes me feel _________________

Why do some of the details change? What do the monkey ______________________________________________________

because _______________________.

and the mud people represent in the author’s life? ______________________________________________________

Possible answer: happier; the _______________________________

______________________________________________________

narrator is realizing that she _______________________________

______________________________________________________

can control the dream _______________________________

______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question

Literary Element Stream of Consciousness Review students’ answers. Ask: How is the narrator feeling at this point in the story? (tired, longing for something new)

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery Discuss the possible meanings of the story’s end. Some students will say the story ends on a positive note because the narrator is learning to go back to the beginning of the dream and start again. Others will say the story ends negatively because the narrator is trapped in a recurring dream in which events worsen.

Students are likely to have many questions about this challenging narrative. Divide the class into small groups, and have each group decide on one or two questions to ask. Then, as a class, decide what the most frequently asked questions are. Encourage students to use evidence from the text, from other works they have read, or from their own background knowledge as they develop interpretations.


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People at Night

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature If students have difficulty with this question, point out some of the long paragraphs in the first selection. Ask: How does this selection differ? (Students may say that it’s very choppy and some of the lines aren’t even sentences.) Ask: Why do you think the author of “People at Night” separates the repeated phrases and you? (Students should recognize that this represents the separation between people.)

People at Night Comparing Literature How does the author use word spacing to enhance the meaning of the poem? How is this different from the previous selection?

The spaces between the words _______________________________

and you and you suggest the _______________________________ separation between people. _______________________________ In the previous selection, the _______________________________ ideas just flowed from one to _______________________________ another with few breaks. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

A night that cuts between you and you and you and you and you and me : jostles us apart, a man elbowing through a crowd. We won’t look for each other, either— wander off, each alone, not looking in the slow crowd. Among sideshows under movie signs, pictures made of a million lights, giants that move and again move again, above a cloud of thick smells, franks, roasted nutmeats— Or going up to some apartment, yours or yours, finding someone sitting in the dark: who is it, really? So you switch the light on to see: you know the name but who is it?

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People at Night

People at Night But you won’t see. The fluorescent light flickers sullenly, a pause. But you command. It grabs each face and holds it up by the hair for you, mask after mask. You and you and you and I repeat gestures that make do when speech has failed and talk and talk, laughing, saying ‘I’, and ‘I’, meaning ‘Anybody’. No one.

Comparing Literature How are the speaker’s feelings about people in this poem similar to or different from the narrator’s feelings about people in “What I Have Been Doing Lately”? Write your answer on the lines below.

In both selections, people are _______________________________ difficult to get to know. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Interactive Question-Response Comparing Literature If students have difficulty: Model The narrator in the story had trouble figuring out whether the woman was her mother or a stranger. Also, the shiny people on a picnic turned out to be mud people. In this poem, the question “who is it?” appears twice. I think that means that in both selections, the narrator or speaker has trouble feeling comfortable with other people and understanding them.

READING CHECK Summarize Write a summary that describes how the setting and mood of “What I Have Been Doing Lately” and “People at Night” are similar and different. Students may say that the mood in both pieces is sad and ______________________________________________________ that they both describe a person traveling alone. They are ______________________________________________________ different because the narrator in “What I Have Been Doing ______________________________________________________ Lately” is traveling through open country and “People at ______________________________________________________ Night” is set in a city. ______________________________________________________

People at Night


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Reading Check Summarize Help students break down the question into manageable parts. Ask: What is similar about the mood of the two selections? As students respond, write their answers on the board. (Both are serious and a little depressing. Both involve a person traveling alone.) Ask: What is different about the setting of the two selections? (The first selection is in the country, and “People at Night” is in the city.) Have students write two summary sentences from their answers.

People at Night

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The Dream

The Dream

Isn’t it sweet to have unearthly dreams?


This dream was prophetic or not prophetic… Mars shone among the heavenly stars, Becoming crimson, sparkling, sinister— And that same night I dreamed of your arrival.

Comparing Literature Students may require help recognizing the contrasts in the poem. Model The speaker describes Mars as sparkling, which sounds hopeful, but then also uses the word sinister, which means “threatening or evil.”

—A. Blok1

Comparing Literature The speaker describes Mars as “sparkling” and “sinister” and mentioned that the roses “bloomed in vain.” How do these images affect the mood of the poem?

Possible answer: The mood _______________________________

It was in everything . . . in the Bach Chaconne,2 And in the roses, which bloomed in vain, And in the ringing of the village bells Over the blackness of ploughed fields. And in the autumn, which came close And suddenly, reconsidering, concealed itself. Oh my August, how could you give me such news As a terrible anniversary?

is uncertain because even _______________________________ attractive objects (a star and _______________________________ some flowers) are described in _______________________________ a negative way. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

1. A. Blok is Alexander Blok. He was one of Russia’s most important poets before the Communist era. Akhmatova admired him. 2. A Chaconne (shaʼ kônʼ) is a type of slow, elegant dance music.

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The Dream

The Dream How can I repay this royal gift? Where do I go and with whom do I celebrate? And now I am writing, as before, no crossing out, My poems in the burnt notebook.3 August 14, 1956 Near Kolomna

Comparing Literature In what way is the mood of the highlighted line similar to “What I Have Been Doing Lately” and “People at Night”?

Possible answer: All three _______________________________


have to do with loneliness, _______________________________ separation, and confusion. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

Comparing Literature If students have difficulty figuring out the mood of “The Dream,” point out the words sinister, terrible, and in vain. Explain that in vain means “without effect.” Give an example, such as My efforts to get to school on time were in vain. Even though I got to the bus stop on time, the bus was late.

3. The burnt notebook refers to writings Akhmatova burned when Joseph Stalin came to power. She was afraid that she would be jailed or executed if anyone in the government read her work. By 1956, it was safe to write again because the next Soviet leader criticized Stalin’s tactics.

READING CHECK Predict What do you predict the poems that the author writes in the “burnt notebook” will be about? Students may predict that the author will write poems ______________________________________________________ describing how she felt during the oppression or what has ______________________________________________________ happened to her during her life. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

The Dream


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Reading Check Predict Remind students of what they read about Anna Akhmatova—that she and her family suffered under Communist rule and that she could not write during that period because she was afraid her writings would cause her to be sent to jail or executed. Point out that the author wrote “The Dream” after she was free to write again. Ask: How might the author’s experiences affect the other poems she will write? (Some students may say that she hasn’t had a happy life, so her poetry will probably be about sad feelings. Others may say that she is eager to write down all the poems she burned when the Communists were in power.)

The Dream

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After You Read


After You Read

People at Night

The

Dream

Connect to the Selections How do these selections compare or contrast with dreams you have had?


Encourage students to discuss how stream of consciousness relates to dreams. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

If students have difficulty identifying imagery: Model In “What I Have Been Doing Lately,” the narrator says, “I wanted to get across it but it would take me years to build a boat.” The water could symbolize the author’s wish to get away from the island. The boat symbolizes how she could leave the island. She didn’t have any idea how to do this, so she said it would take her years. Encourage students to work in small groups to talk through imagery as they fill in the chart.

Think about how each author uses literary devices and text structures to give a dreamlike quality to the selection. Name the device or structure. Then describe how it adds to the dreamlike quality.


paragraphs give the effect of the kinds of thoughts that people have “What I Have Been Doing Lately”: Long ____________________________________________________________________ in dreams. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ between words and phrases and imagery such as “The fluorescent light . . . grabs/ “People at Night”: Spacing _________________________________________________________________________________ each face” give the impression of a person searching in a dream world. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ and imagery represent the confusion that can occur in dreams. “The Dream”: Ellipses _____________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Element

Stream of Consciousness

Why do you think Jamaica Kincaid chose to write her story using the stream-ofconsciousness technique? Possible answer: She wanted the reader to experience the jumbled thoughts and confusion that she felt _________________________________________________________________________________________________ about her life when she was young. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Interpret Imagery From each selection, pick one image that helps you understand the message of the work. Write the image in the second column of the chart. What does the image symbolize? Write your answer in the third column. Selection

Image

Interpretation

“What I Have Been Doing Lately”

“All around me was black mud”

Other people disappoint and frighten the narrator.

“People at Night”

“mask after mask”

Even though people are in a crowd, they remain alone.

“The Dream”

“the burnt notebook”

Maybe she is rewriting poems that the government made her destroy years ago.

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Grammar Link

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BLM

Adverbs Modifying Verbs Prepare students to complete the activity on page A33. Read the grammar instruction with students, and complete the first item with them to help them get started.

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After You Read

After You Read


The

Dream

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Complete the following activity to explore the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary words.

verandah

horizon

dutiful

interlaced

1. Circle the two words that describe something you might see when walking verandah and horizon through a town. ____________________ 2. Place a star next to the word that describes objects that are connected or interlaced woven together. ____________________ 3. Underline the word that describes a person who acts out of a sense of dutiful responsibility. ____________________ 4. Draw an X next to a word that describes part of a house. verandah ____________________

B. Analogies Choose the word pair that best completes each analogy. To complete the analogy, decide on the relationship represented by the first pair of words. Then locate another pair of words with the same relationship and circle the letter next to that pair. 1. porch : verandah ::

3. horizon : divides ::

a bicycle : train

a weather : forecasts

b painter : picture

b carpenter : builds

c house : mansion

c clouds : sunshine

2. dutiful : disobedient ::

4. interlaced : entwined ::

a plentiful : scarce

a distinct : separate

b cautious : careful

b apart : together

c confuse : mystify

c link : divide

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Writing Link Poem Have each student write a poem that portrays a surprising or fantastic scene. Help students brainstorm ideas for scenes, figurative language, and sensory details to draw the reader in. Encourage students to share their poems. Students’ poems should: • focus on a single scene • make effective use of figurative language and sensory details • be written in free verse, rhyming stanzas, or another poetic format


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After You Read

After You Read


The

Dream

Order of Events Chart

“What I Have Been Doing Lately” is a dream narrative, so the order of events in it can be confusing. Fill in the graphic organizer by adding events to the boxes in the order in which they happened. In the final box, give your interpretation of what is happening to the narrator at the end of the story. First journey: “I was lying in bed and the doorbell rang.” • saw Venus and monkey • rowed across water • fell in hole and out again • confronted mother/stranger

Second journey: “I was lying in bed on my back . . . ” • saw Venus and worried about sun going out • got into rock fight with monkey • rode on boat and saw mud people; felt lonely and sad

Third journey: “And I went back to lying in bed . . . ” • doorbell is about to ring • narrator may be trapped in dream or may be able to control

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 287–294, 315 Reading: Making generalizations. Distinguishing fact and opinion.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Functional Documents Explain to students that documents such as e-mails, application forms, and letters are known as functional documents, because they help the user get something done, as opposed to documents that entertain or persuade the reader. Ask: Have you ever written a letter or an e-mail? (Many students will say that they have.) Explain to students that, while they may have written letters and e-mails to friends and family members, there are specific formats they should use when writing formal letters and e-mails. Ask: Why do you think it is important to follow specific conventions when writing formal letters and e-mails? (Possible answer: Doing so shows professionalism and respect.)

Functional DOCUMENTS • E-mail • Application • Cover Letter

Functional Documents

287-294_G10_APP_FuncDoc1.indd 287

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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Functional Documents Vocabulary • Workplace Vocabulary • Literal and Figurative Meanings

Reading Strategy • Make Generalizations • Distinguish Fact and Opinion

Writing Link • E-mail



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Before You Read

Before You Read

Functional DOCUMENTS Connect to the Functional Documents

You have probably encountered functional documents, such as e-mails, application forms, or formal letters, in your everyday life. At some point, you may need to communicate with a person who is in charge of deciding whether you will receive a scholarship, job, or award. In such a case, knowing how to use these types of documents effectively will be essential to your success.

Connect to the Functional Documents If students are having difficulty, ask them a series of questions to help them identify specific details they would like to know more about. This will help them focus their own questions. Ask: Do you know the appropriate greeting and closing for a formal e-mail? Do you know what kinds of information application forms usually require? Do you know what to put at the head of a formal letter?

Think about each of the types of documents listed in the chart below. Then write down one thing you would like to find out about how to use each type of document. Type of Document

I Want to Find Out…

e-mail

Possible answer: what greeting and closing to use in a formal email.

application form

Possible answer: how to present myself well in a job application.

formal letter

Possible answer: how to format a business letter.

Build Background

Build Background

Read the facts below. Then answer the question that follows.

Ask: Why do you think Devin needed to submit a cover letter to the contest along with his graphic novel? (Possible answer: He needed to do so to show the judges that he was interested in the journal and had previous experience.)

•

Devin wanted to submit his graphic novel to a writing contest, so he visited the website of the journal Golden Gate Comics.

•

Devin sent an e-mail to the editor of the journal, asking about the contest guidelines.

•

He then downloaded an application form for the contest. He carefully reviewed it. He filled it out neatly and checked it for grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.

•

Finally, Devin wrote a cover letter in which he discussed his familiarity with the journal and his qualifications that related to the contest.

Why do you think it was important for Devin to carefully review the application form before filling it out? Write your answer on the lines below.


Possible answer: It was probably important to do this so that he would not make any mistakes, and so that he ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

As students read, encourage them to think about how they could use each type of document in their own lives.

could have all the information he needed at hand before he started. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading As you read, pay attention to the different parts of each type of document. Ask yourself about the specific purpose served by each part. For example, why does an e-mail always begin with subject line? Why does an application begin with lines for the applicant’s name and address?

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Before You Read

Reading Strategy Make Generalizations When you make generalizations, you look at specific details or facts and try to make a broad statement that would apply to an entire group of things. For example, after reading several business letters that all included the date near the top of the page, you might make the generalization that all business letters have the date near the top of the page.

Reading Strategy Make Generalizations

Read the three facts that follow. Then, on the lines below, write a generalization that you could make from the three facts. 1. My old cat liked to sit on top of the refrigerator. 2. The cat I have now likes to sit on the top shelf of my bookcase. 3. My neighbor’s cat often perches in the tree in my front yard.

Caution students that they should make generalizations only when they believe they have sufficient evidence to do so. Remind them that just because they see one example of a document that follows a particular format, they should not assume that all documents of that type follow the same format.

like to sit in high places. Generalization: Cats _____________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Distinguish Fact and Opinion Facts are statements that can be proved or disproved, such as “The Earth is round.” Opinions are statements that express personal views or attitudes, such as “Ice cream is delicious.” Below are a fact and an opinion. Underline the words or phrases in the second sentence that show you it is an opinion, rather than a fact. Fact: I wrote a story.

Reading Strategy Distinguish Fact and Opinion

Opinion: I feel that my story is interesting.

Explain to students that phrases such as I think, I believe, and I feel signal that a statement is an opinion, rather than a fact. Adjectives that express personal judgments, such as interesting, boring, beautiful, and good, also signal that a statement is an opinion.

Workplace Vocabulary Read the vocabulary definitions on the right. For each sentence below, write the correct vocabulary term in the blank. Most employers require job seekers to fill out a(n) application ________________ listing previous jobs, internships, or volunteer work. Along with an application, you should enclose a(n) cover letter ________________ that tells what position you are

Workplace Vocabulary e-mail: electronic mail; a message or messages sent and received electronically over a computer network application: a written form to be completed by a job seeker cover letter: a letter sent along with other documents to give additional information

applying for and explains your qualifications. After I turned on the computer, I checked my e-mail ________________ for new messages.



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: An e-mail is an electronic message. Example: Each morning I turn on the computer and check my e-mail. Ask: Describe a situation in which you might choose to use e-mail instead of postal mail (sometimes nicknamed snailmail). DESCRIPTION

An application is a form that a person completes when applying for a position or an award. Most employers require job seekers to fill out an application listing previous experience. Give an example of a time you filled out an application. EXAMPLE

A cover letter is a letter you send along with other documents, often when you are applying for a position. Along with an application, you should enclose a cover letter that tells what position you are applying for and explains your qualifications. How is a cover letter similar to an application? How are they different? COMPARE AND CONTRAST


289



Functional DOCUMENTS Workplace Vocabulary e-mail: electronic mail; a message or messages sent and received electronically over a computer network

Read and Discuss


Facts are statements that can be proved. They are different from opinions, which express personal preferences or beliefs. Find one fact in this e-mail. Underline it in the text. Then, with a partner, discuss why the passage you chose is a fact and not an opinion.

Explain to students that they need to pay careful attention to the way statements are phrased so they can determine whether the statements are facts or opinions. For example, the statement I couldn’t find information concerning your submissions preferences might be mistaken for an opinion, because it does not state that no information is available—only that the speaker could not find the information. Explain that the statement is actually a fact, because it states that the speaker could not find the information. This is probably true, regardless of whether the information was actually on the website.

Students might underline “I am ____________________________ the author of a graphic novel” ____________________________ or “I couldn’t find information ____________________________ concerning your submissions ____________________________

Read an E-mail Let’s take a look at the e-mail Devin sent to learn more about the submission process. To: [email protected] 1 From: [email protected] Date: September 7, 2007 Subject: Dragon Fire Graphic Novel Contest 2 Dear Mr. Jones: 3 I am the author of a graphic novel, and I would like to ask

you a few questions regarding the submission process for the graphic novel contest. The first question I have is, Can I submit my novel either via e-mail or via regular snail mail? I couldn’t find information concerning your submissions preferences on your website and want to follow your guidelines correctly. My second question is, Are you open to simultaneous submissions, or do you prefer that writers submit their works to only one publication at a time? To improve my chances of being published, I would like to submit my novel simultaneously to several publishers, but I can limit myself to your contest should you disallow simultaneous submissions. 4

preferences on your website.” ____________________________

Thank you in advance for your prompt response to my questions. 5

They should understand that ____________________________

Devin Gregory

such facts convey provable ____________________________

READING CHECK

information about events. ____________________________

Summarize 1 The heading identifies the recipient 2 3 4 5

of the e-mail, the sender, the date, and the subject. The subject line tells the reader what the e-mail is about. The purpose of the e-mail is stated in the first sentence. The e-mail requests additional information specially related to the submission process. The writer expresses his thanks.

Use the sentence frames below to summarize the two questions that Devin asks in this email. if he may submit his novel by e-mail or regular Devin asks ____________________________________________ mail he is allowed to submit to other publishers _____ and if ____________________________________________ simultaneously. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Summarize Explain to students that the two sentences in the e-mail that are questions contain the most important content. The sentences that follow the questions provide background information and explain the reasons for the questions. Including these sentences makes the e-mail more thorough and courteous.

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Functional Documents Read an Application

Workplace Vocabulary application: a written form to be completed by a job seeker

Devin downloaded this form from the Golden Gate Comics Web site. Dragon Fire Graphic Novel Contest Official Entry Form


1 Name of writer: Devin Gregory

Name of artist: Devin Gregory Address: 3777 N Halsted Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60623 Home phone: (773) 555-1234 Cell phone:

none

Work phone: none

Reading Strategy Distinguish Fact and Opinion

E-mail: [email protected]

Title of novel: Kosmo Fantastic versus Mr. Meriadeck Story genre: Adventure, science fiction 2 Number of pages:

112 pages

Hand drawn? xx yes

no

Story Synopsis: Orphaned teenager Kosmo Fantastic must defeat the evil Mr. Meriadeck before his planet, Bork Bersi, comes to an end. Kosmo Fantastic uses his powers to defeat Meriadeck.

Have you ever had a graphic novel published?

yes xx no 3

If so, title of work/publisher: _______________________________ Published in a literary magazine/journal? xx yes no. If so, give example: “Stymir the Stouthearted,” published in Manga Madness (Fall 2008) Other accomplishments? musician, poet, naturalist. Send entry form; check for $10; 6 pages of sequential art; completed script; and a self-addressed stamped envelope to 4

Reading Strategy Distinguish Fact and Opinion Which of the following statements is an opinion? Circle your answer below.

If students are having difficulty answering: Model I can read the book (or the book jacket) to find out who the main character is. I can also check the back of the book to see how many pages it has. However, whether a novel is the best or not is a matter of opinion. In other words, the second statement listed is impossible to prove or disprove. Best is a word like interesting, good, or bad—it reflects someone’s point of view.

The novel is about an orphaned teenager. It is the best novel I have ever read. It is 112 pages long.

Dragon Fire Graphic Novel Contest, Golden Gate Comics, 3100 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94118

1 Contact information appears at the top of the application.

2 The application requests information related to the book.

3 The application is designed so that it is easy to fill out.

4 Specific instructions are given at the bottom of the application.



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Functional Documents Workplace Vocabulary cover letter: a letter sent along with other documents to give additional information

Interactive Question-Response Vocabulary Skill Literal and Figurative Meanings If students have difficulty, you may wish to demonstrate by placing one sheet of paper (representing a cover letter) on top of other sheets (representing the other information being sent). Ask: Why are cover letters necessary? (to list all the materials enclosed; to explain who is sending the materials, why, and what should be done with them)

Vocabulary Skill Literal and Figurative Meanings When a paper copy of a cover letter is mailed or delivered, it goes on top of the other information being sent. Why do you think it is called a cover letter?

It literally covers the other ______________________________ materials; it explains what the ______________________________ writer is sending. ______________________________

Reading Strategy Make Generalizations Based on this letter, make a generalization about what the first three items in a formal letter should be. Write your answers on the lines below.

sender’s address 1. ____________________________

Reading Strategy Make Generalizations As a class, discuss why these three items are important enough to be included in all formal letters. (They tell the recipient who the letter is for, where the letter is from, and when it was sent; all of this information can affect the main message of the letter.)

date 2. ____________________________

Read a Cover Letter Here is the letter Devin sent to inspire interest in his graphic novel. 3777 N. Halsted Street Chicago, Illinois, 60613 September 15, 2007 Mr. Mark Jones Editor Dragon Fire Graphic Novel Contest Golden Gate Comics 4440 Sunset Boulevard San Francisco, CA 90027 Dear Mr. Jones, Enclosed is my manuscript, Kosmo Fantastic versus Mr. Meriadeck, 1 for consideration in your Dragon Fire Graphic Novel Contest. I read Golden Gate Comics and am a fan of your imaginative comics. 2 Kosmo Fantastic versus Mr. Meriadeck is my first novel. However, my comics were published in literary journals, including Magna Madness and American Saga: A Comic Magazine. My comic strip Stanley and Livingston appeared in a local newspaper during June of 2006. 3 Enclosed are six sample pages from my novel, a full script of the novel, a completed application form, a check for $10, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope. If you have any questions, please contact me by phone (773-555-1234) or e-mail ([email protected]). 4 I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. 5 Sincerely, 6

recipient ’s name & address 3. ____________________________

Devin Gregory

READING CHECK 1 The main purpose of the letter is stated clearly in the first sentence.

2 The writer demonstrates familiarity with the content of the journal.

3 The writer mentions publishing credits that specifically relate to the contest.

4 The writer provides contact information. The writer uses a block format. With 5 this type of format, the text is justifed left, and one line of space separates each paragraph. 6 The writer inserts four lines of space to leave room for his signature.

Question In the third paragraph of the letter, why do you think Devin lists all the documents he has enclosed? Devin does this so that the recipient will know that he has ______________________________________________________ met all the application requirements. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

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Reading Check Question After students have completed the Reading Check, ask them to describe the purpose of each of the paragraphs of the letter. (The first paragraph states the reason for the letter and demonstrates the applicant’s interest in the contest. The second paragraph describes the applicant’s experience. The third paragraph provides a list of enclosures and also gives contact information.)

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After You Read

After You Read

Functional DOCUMENTS

Connect to the Functional Documents Look back at the chart you made on page 288. In reading this lesson, did you learn anything that could help you to answer your initial questions? Copy your original responses into the second column in the chart below. Then, in the third column, write down what you found out from reading the lesson. Type of Document

I Wanted to Find Out…

Connect to the Functional Documents

I Found Out…

e-mail

Possible answer: what greeting and closing to use in a formal e-mail.

application form

Possible answer: how to present myself Possible answer: that it’s important to well in a job application. carefully review an application before I fill it out.

formal letter

Possible answer: how to format a business letter.

Have students duplicate the chart on a separate sheet of paper and write in the questions they had before reading the lesson. Then have them circulate and ask each other those questions. Have them continue until they find someone who can answer the questions. They should write down the answers in the chart.

Possible answer: that I should open an e-mail with “Dear [name]” and close with my full name.

Possible answer: that a business letter begins with my address, the date, and the recipient’s address.

Reading Strategy Make Generalizations You can use the sample documents in this lesson to make generalizations that will help you complete your own e-mails, applications, and cover letters. The chart below lists general features that are common to all e-mails, applications, and cover letters, as well as features that are specific to the sample documents in this lesson. For each type of document, circle the general features. Then cross out the features that would only apply to the sample documents. E-mails • subject line • questions about manuscript submission process

Applications • space for name of applicant • space for applicant’s address

• sender’s name and e-mail address

• instructions

• requests for additional information

• space for title of applicant’s novel

• space for story synopsis

Cover Letters • sender’s address • list of comics the sender has published • description of relevant experience • recipient’s address • list of enclosed materials



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293

After You Read

After You Read


Workplace Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Each of the sentences below uses one of the workplace vocabulary terms. Fill in the blanks with the correct terms.

After Reading Have students complete the after reading activity on page 315.

e-mail

application

cover letter

application asks me to list my high school grades and 1. This college _____________ extracurricular activities. e-mail 2. I want a quick response from John, so I will send him a(n) _____________ , because I know he is constantly online. 3. To get this internship, I have to submit a list of my previous jobs, along with cover letter that describes my qualifications. a(n) _____________

B. Workplace Vocabulary Imagine that you are the owner of a small company. Complete the sentences below to describe situations in which you might use each type of workplace document. answers: communicate with employees and business associates. 1. I might use e-mails to Possible _______________________________________________________________________ answers: hire new employees. 2. I might design an application order to Possible _________________________________________________________ answers: wanted to work for my company. 3. I might receive a cover letter from someone who Possible _______________________________________________

Writing in the Workplace: Cover Letter Imagine that you were applying for a summer job. What sort of work would you like to do? What do your experiences qualify you for? Write a job on the line below. Possible answer: working at a bakery _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Then, use the frame on page 315 to compose a cover letter. Imagine that you would send this letter to the employer, accompanied by a list of your work experiences, activities, and accomplishments. Notice how the sample letter uses headers, spacing, and fonts (different styles of type) to make the letter easier to read.


➡

294


Writing Link E-mail Have students imagine that they are applying to college or technical school and want to ask a question of an admissions director. Have them compose an e-mail in which they ask the question, using the e-mail in this workshop as a model. Make sure that students use an appropriate greeting, closing, and subject line in their emails. Also check to make sure that their tone is appropriately formal. Students’ e-mails should: • focus on a single question • follow the format of the e-mail included in this workshop • use Standard American English rather than slang • maintain a polite, formal tone

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Learning Objectives

Before You Read

For pages 295–304 Reading: Identify sequence. Summarize.

Activate Prior Knowledge Talk About the Functional Documents Explain to students that the lesson they are about to read includes several consumer documents, which are materials that go along with consumer products. Inform them that common consumer documents include instruction manuals, warranties, and contracts. Ask them to read the names of the documents on this page and predict how each might be used. (Possible answer: A professional article might teach you how to perform a task within a particular field, a warranty might guarantee a product that you buy, product information might tell you about a product, and an installation guide might tell you how to set up a product.)

Functional DOCUMENTS • • • •

Professional Article Warranty Product Information Installation Guide



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Lesson at a Glance Activate Prior Knowledge • Talk About the Functional Documents Vocabulary • Workplace Vocabulary

Reading Strategy • Identify Sequence • Summarize

Writing Link • Product Information Description



295

Before You Read

Before You Read

Functional The Cask ofDOCUMENTS Amontillado Connect to the Functional Story Documents

Whatlesson This kind ofincludes injury would four functional make someone documents: want to a professional take revenge? article, If you think a warranty, revenge ais product never an information option, explaindescription, why. and an installation guide.

Connect to the Functional Documents

Possible answer: If someone’s life had been ruined he or she might want revenge. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ The installation guide gives step-by-step instructions on how to set up a computer program. The following steps from the installation guide are out of order. Place a 1 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ next to the step that you think comes first, a 2 next to the middle step, and a 3 next to the last step.

Tell students to look for signal words and phrases, such as then, next, after or before, to understand sequence. Read this sentence aloud: Once you have completed the installation process, click Exit. Ask students what signal phrase indicates that this step comes last. (Once you have completed the installation process)

1 Insert the Comic Universe installation disc into your computer’s DVD-ROM drive. ____ Circle the number of the response that is closest to your own. Students may choose either 1 or 2. 3 Once you have completed the installation process, click Exit. ____ 1. If someone does terrible things to you, you should be able to take revenge. 2 Click Register. ____ 2. Revenge is pointless; it cannot really make up for anything.


Build Background

Devin was asked to submit his work to a graphic novel contest electronically. To learn more about creating an electronic version of his hand-drawn art, he read a professional article that he found online.


If students have difficulty responding: Model A consumer document gives you information about a specific product. The warranty comes with Devin’s new scanner, so it must be a consumer document. The product information description and the guide come with the comic book software, so they also must be consumer documents. The article does not come with any particular product, so it is not a consumer document.

• • •

After reading thepeople professional article,costumes. Devin read three different consumer At carnival time, often wear documents—materials that provide information about consumer products. The story takes place in an Italian palazzo, or mansion. First, Devin reviewed the warranty of the new scanner he had bought. The mansion has catacombs, which are underground burial chambers. Next, he bought comic book software and read its product information Catacombs could be reached by climbing down narrow staircases. description. The catacombs were lined with hollowed-out nooks where the remains of the Finally, he read the software installation guide to get the software running. dead were put.

A cask of Amontillado is a barrel of Spanish wine. Without looking at what you just read, cross out the document below that is not a consumer document: Now, write a short summary of the facts you just read. installation guide Costumes product description Possible answer: wereinformation worn during carnival. The story takes place in an Italian mansion that has ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ burial chambers professional articlecalled catacombs warranty beneath it. Catacombs are very dark and deep. They hold the remains of ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ dead people. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Set Purposes for Reading Have students skim the documents. Point out that the headings tell the name of the product or the main idea of the text. Explain that subheadings are smaller and can also give main ideas. Tell students that the dot by each item in the product information example is called a bullet.

Set Purposes for Reading Set fortheReading As youPurposes read, think about structure and format of each type of document. Notice In thisgraphics, short story, one man exacts a horrible revengefonts on another who he feels has how headings, sub-headings, and different (styles of type) help you injured him.the Askpurpose yourself and whatmessage could have offended him so deeply he needed understand of the document. Could the that sequence or to take suchberevenge. find reader the reasons in the text as you read. wording changedTrytotoavoid misunderstandings?

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Before You Read

Reading Strategy Identify Sequence The sequence of a document is the order in which items are presented. Here are three common types of sequences: •

Chronological order—lists events in the order they happened in time

•

Order of importance—lists the most important items first

•

Step-by-step order—lists tasks in the order they should be performed

Reading Strategy Identify Sequence

You can use a checklist like the one below to help you identify the sequence of a functional document.

■ ■ ■

Does the document contain numbered lists? Does the document contain words that indicate time order, such as first or next?

Advise students to read consumer documents all the way through and determine their sequences before attempting to follow the instructions. Doing so will help them perform the actions correctly and anticipate any problems or complications that might arise.

Does the document have headings that signal sequence?

Reading Strategy Summarize Summarizing involves stating the main ideas of a passage of text in your own words. Summaries should be brief. They should include only general ideas, not unimportant details. Imagine that you took a month-long vacation to another country, and you were asked to summarize your trip in just two sentences. Which of the following pieces of information should you include? Check all that apply. ✓ ■ ■ ■ ✓ ■ ■

Reading Strategy Summarize

an overview of the types of activities you did

If students have difficulty answering: Model A summary contains general ideas, so it would be a good idea to include a general overview of the types of activities I did. However, there would be no room to include detailed descriptions of the activities, and the specific times of day don’t really matter. It would be important to state the country I was in, because that is a general piece of information about my trip. But I don’t think the specific name of the street I stayed on would really matter—that is just a detail.

a detailed description of each activity the specific times of day that you did each activity the name of the country you were in the name of the street where you stayed

Workplace Vocabulary In the side column are definitions for two vocabulary terms that you might encounter in the workplace. Read the definitions. Then, in the spaces below, write down a product for which it might be helpful to have each document. Explain why you might need the document. Possible answers:

Workplace Vocabulary installation guide: a manual that explains how to install or operate a product warranty: an agreement that describes a customer’s rights and a company’s responsibilities if a product does not work

Installation guide new oven Product: a____________________________________________________________________________________________ would want to make sure you installed it correctly to avoid hurting yourself. Explanation: You _________________________________________________________________________________________ Warranty new television Product: a____________________________________________________________________________________________ would want to make sure that the company would replace your television if it did not work. Explanation: You _________________________________________________________________________________________



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Vocabulary Routine To introduce the vocabulary, follow the routine below. Define: An installation guide is a document that explains how to set up or use a product. Example: My new presentation software was very complicated to set up, so I had to follow the installation guide carefully.

Ask: What types of products usually need installation guides? What types of products do not need installation guides? COMPARE AND CONTRAST

A warranty is a document that explains the repairs a company will pay for if its product is defective. The warranty states that the company will replace my camera for free if it malfunctions any time in the next two years. Why is it important to read a warranty before you buy a product? EXPLANATION


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Functional DOCUMENTS Read a Professional Article

Reading Strategy Identify Sequence Explain to students that if a document includes a numbered list, it is most likely organized in chronological or step-by-step order. If a document includes bulleted items or boldfaced headings, it may be organized in order of importance. In either case, students should read the document carefully to be sure, as the writers of technical documents may use any number of organizational strategies.

Here is the professional article Devin found while surfing the Internet. Ten Tips for Creating Visually Satisfying Graphic Novels By Maya Hering In this article, I explain how to create a professional looking comic from your hand-drawn art. 1 Reading Strategy Identify Sequence What type of sequence does the writer use to list the tips? Circle your answer below. chronological order order of importance Then underline words and phrases in the text that support your answer.

1 The purpose of the article is stated clearly and concisely.

2 The writer makes the tips easier to

1. Use a pencil and 8” × 12” sheets of paper to create each panel. Include one action per panel; 4 to 6 panels per page. 2 2. Trace over your pencil lines with a black gel pen, which does not bleed. 3. Once the ink is dry, gently erase all pencil lines using a soft eraser. A scanner will capture all of the stray marks on a piece of paper. 4. Create a new folder on your computer. Name it appropriately. 5. Scan your panels into your computer. Save them in your new folder. 6. Using a comic-book software program, create a layout for each page. Create your own layouts or choose from layout templates. 3 7. Import your scanned drawings into the computer program; drag them into place in the layouts. Then use the Image Crop option in your program to get rid of areas or drawings that you don’t want to keep. 8. Next you can edit your drawings. To get rid of bumpy lines, apply the Smoothing and Straightening options in your software program. 9. Now add color to help convey your characters’ personalities. Select the blank areas inside your drawings where you want to add color and use the Color tools in your program to fill in these areas. 4 10. Once you’ve finished editing, insert captions and word balloons (i.e., the bubbles that covey characters’ thoughts and spoken words) in all of the panels. First, draw ovals for the balloons and place them in the appropriate positions, and then fill the balloons with text.

follow by organizing them into a list.

3 The writer describes when, how, and why to carry out each tip in the list. 4 The text in each tip is brief and direct in its tone.

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Functional Documents Read a Warranty

Workplace Vocabulary warranty: an agreement that describes a customer’s rights and a company’s responsibilities if a product does not work

Here is the warranty that came with the scanner Devin purchased. Kambara Super Scanner


Full One-Year Warranty 1 Congratulations! You have purchased a Kambara Super Scanner. It should meet all of your scanning needs for many years to come and with minimal care. Please read the following information and save these instructions.

Reading Strategy Summarize

Activation: This warranty will become active after you fill out the enclosed card and mail it to the address below. 2 Period of Coverage: This warranty covers defects in workmanship/material under normal use for a period of one year from the date of purchase. 3 Claims: If your scanner has any mechanical defects during the warranty period, pack the scanner carefully and ship to the address below. Include proof of purchase, your name and address, and a description of the problem. 4

Reading Strategy Summarize Use the sentence frame below to summarize the main ideas contained under the heading “Claims.”

Kambara Corp. Repair, 550 S. State Street, Easton, NY 11030 5

Point out to students that they can replace technical language with simple, everyday phrasing when they are writing summaries. For example, the phrase has any mechanical defects can be replaced with the phrase does not work.

not work, If the scanner does ___________________

Our trained technicians will inspect the scanner and repair or replace it free of charge. However, if they discover product defects resulted from improper use or storage, you will be billed for the repair or replacement.

back to the Kambara send it _________________________ Corporation. _______________________________

Exceptions: This warranty does not cover Kambara products purchased outside of the United States. Additional Information: This warranty gives you specific legal rights; you may have other rights, which vary from state to state. Contact your state attorney general’s office for further information. 6

READING CHECK

1 In the title, the writer specifies the 2

Question

3

How does a customer activate the warranty? Write your answer on the lines below.

4

The customer has to fill out the enclosed card and mail it to ______________________________________________________

5

the Kambara Corporation. ______________________________________________________

6

period of coverage and the type of coverage (i.e., full or limited). One line space is placed between each section so that the document is easy to read. The writer spells out the types of problems the warranty covers. The writer describes the steps customers should take if a problem arises. The contact information is set off so that it can be easily located. The final section tells customers how to find out about other rights they may have.



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Reading Check Question After students have responded to the Reading Check, explain that the warranty is organized in order of importance. Ask them why they think the “Activation” section comes first. (None of the terms of the warranty will go into effect unless the customer activates it. Therefore, this step is most important.)


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Functional Documents Read Software Product Information Here is the description for Devin’s Comic Universe software program.

Comic Universe For drawing comics from scratch or manipulating scanned artwork, Comic Universe lets you create personalized comic masterpieces in no time. 1


Program Features

Reading Strategy Identify Sequence

• Layouts Offers you more than 300 distinctive layout templates for you to turn your ideas into a professional-looking book. 2

Help students to understand that the “Coloring” section should go near the “Inking” section, because both sections have to do with creating the visual aspects of the comic book. It makes sense for the “Online Sharing” section to be last because that section has to do with distributing the completed work.

• Imported Art Allows you to import photos/artwork from your own collection or from the application’s extensive library of clipart.

• Original and Scanned Art Allows you to draw original art or to enhance the appearance of scanned artwork.

• Inking Makes it possible for you to ink your drawings digitally. With the pen tool, you can trace and boldly outline drawings. 3 ➞ • Graphics Includes an abundance of action-word graphics that you can position within the layout templates. Reading Strategy Identify Sequence Where in the document would you place the section “Coloring” so that the information would be presented in a logical order? Draw an arrow from the “Coloring” section to the proper place in the document.

• Text Balloons Provides a wealth of caption boxes and text balloons or lets you easily create your own customized balloons. • Compatible Formats Works with JPEG, BMP, GIF, and PNG. 4 • Online Sharing Permits you to save the finished comic as a PDF or HTML file so that you can share it online with family and friends. • Coloring Combines paint and erase tools so that you can create visually exciting images.

1 The description provides a brief introduction to the software program. 2 The writer uses headings that can help customers find the information they’re looking for easily. 3 The clear, simple design makes the content easy to read. 4 The writer gives information that is important for readers to know.

“We highly recommend this product for budding and established comic artists. It can turn their creative ideas into high-quality comics.” —Comics Galore

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Functional Documents Read an Installation Guide Here is the installation guide that Devin used to install his new comic-book computer program.

Workplace Vocabulary installation guide: a manual that explains how to install or operate a product

Comic Universe Installation Guide 1


1. Insert the Comic Universe installation disc into your computer’s DVD-ROM drive. 2. Double-click the Comic Universe icon and follow the on-screen prompts. 2 3. Read the License Agreement. Click Continue. Click Agree.


4. Enter your name, organization (optional), and your registration number, where appropriate. Your registration number is located inside the front cover of your user’s manual. 3 *Please note that you must register your software in order to obtain technical support and important product updates. 4

Have students discuss how the author uses formatting and phrasing to convey a clear sequence of steps. Students should note the use of numbering and spacing, as well as the use of action verbs, such as insert, read, and click.

5. Click Register. 6. Click Install to perform the installation. If the installation doesn’t proceed smoothly, refer to page 9 of the user’s manual for troubleshooting information. 7. Once you have completed the installation process, click Exit.

Read and Discuss With a partner, discuss why it is important for the reader to perform the steps in the order in which they are presented.

Students should understand ____________________________ that each prompt appears ____________________________ on the screen only after ____________________________ the previous step has been ____________________________

READING CHECK

completed. ____________________________

Clarify What is the benefit of registering the software? Write your answer on the lines below. Registering the software allows the user to get technical ______________________________________________________

1 The title indicates the specific

support and software updates. ______________________________________________________

2 The writer gives direct and simple

______________________________________________________

3 The writer places one line space

______________________________________________________

between each step so that the steps are easy to follow. 4 Additional information related to the registration process is provided.

procedure to be explained. commands.



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Reading Check Clarify Point out to students that the note about the benefit of registering the software is set off by an asterisk (*). Ask students why they think the author chose to set off the note in this way. (The asterisk calls attention to the note. The note is important because it explains the purpose of the registration process.)


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After You Read

After You Read


Connect to the Functional Documents Look back at the three steps you put in order on page 296. Check them against the Installation Guide shown in this lesson. Did you put them in the correct order? On the lines below, describe how clues in the wording of the steps led you to place them in the order that you did.

Reading Strategy Summarize After students have filled out the Reading Strategy chart, have them share their work with a partner. Have students check their partners’ charts to make sure their partners have included general information about their chosen documents. Have students identify and cross out any unnecessary details in their partners’ charts.

Possible answer: I thought inserting the installation disc was the first step, because the disc is probably what _________________________________________________________________________________________________ makes the software work. I thought exiting was probably the last step, because it says you should do so _________________________________________________________________________________________________ “once you have completed the installation process.” _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Strategy Summarize When you summarize, you ask yourself who, what, why, and how questions about the information provided. Doing so helps you to state only the most essential information about a document. Choose one of the functional documents from this lesson. Use information from that document to fill out the chart below. Possible answer: Software Product Information Title of Document: _______________________________________________________________________________

Who it is meant for:

New users of the software

What it is (purpose):

A document that describes what the software does

Why it is needed:

So the user can learn to use all the features of the software

How it serves its purpose: By describing each of the different features of the software in a bulleted list

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After You Read

After You Read


Workplace Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Write the correct vocabulary term next to its description below. installation guide

warranty

1. This document addresses what a customer should do if a warranty product is broken. ________________ 2. This document explains how to get a product ready installation guide to use. ________________

B. Workplace Vocabulary Think about the documents that you have just read. Then use the vocabulary terms to answer the following questions. installation guide

warranty

1. Which document would be more likely to contain information warranty about legal rights? ________________ 2. Which document would be more likely to contain step-by-step installation guide instructions? ________________



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Writing Link Product Information Description Ask students to write a product information description of one of their favorite belongings or an imaginary product. Have them think about the purpose of the product, its features, and what makes it different from other products of its kind. Then have them describe these features in a brief bulleted list, using the product information description in this lesson as a model. An effective product information description should: • describe the product’s features into logical categories • describe what makes the product unique • use a sensible order of events


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After You Read

After You Read


Writing in the Workplace: List of Tips In the space below, write a list of ten tips for completing an activity with which you are familiar. This could be a sport at which you excel, a game that you enjoy, a meal you know how to cook, or any other activity. Keep in mind that your audience might not know as much about the activity as you do. Define any technical terms you introduce. Present your tips in a logical sequence. Ten Tips for ______________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ (sentence stating the purpose of the list) 1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Students’ lists should use complete sentences, logical order, and familiar vocabulary.

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After You Read

After You Read

The Tucson Zoo

Vocabulary A. Word Meaning Circle the answer that best fits the meaning of the boldfaced vocabulary word in each sentence. 1. A feeling of exultation overwhelmed Thomas at the zoo. a extreme happiness

c honesty

b comfort

d expression

2. Thomas believes that altruism may be the most primitive attribute in humans. a skill

c gift

b talent

d quality

3. A loss of individuality is debasement according to some people. a degradation

c enlightenment

b absurd

d unimportant

4. Thomas was elated to see the beavers and otters at the Tucson Zoo. a impressed

c joyful

b confident

d sad

5. Thomas only wanted to think of the animals as intact creatures. a full

c cellular

b whole

d lively

B. Antonyms Choose an antonym for each vocabulary word below. Use the antonym to write a sentence based on what you’ve read in “The Tucson Zoo”. Possible answer: Thomas felt despair when he could only see the beavers and otters for elation ______________________________________________________________________________________ their parts. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ answer: By looking at the parts, science’s view of life is incomplete. intact Possible ________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ answer: Thomas wishes more people would glorify altruism. debasement Possible _________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________

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After You Read

After You Read

The Tucson Zoo

Main Idea and Supporting Details A main idea and supporting details chart can help you focus on the most important ideas of a text. Think about Thomas’s experience at the zoo and his thoughts on what he experienced. Use the chart below to summarize the main idea and most important supporting details in his essay. Use the information from your completed chart to write a brief summary. Main Idea: Possible answer: Usefulness may be more important to civilization than individuality and selfishness.

Supporting Detail: Possible answer: Thomas felt a sense of friendship and exultation to see the beavers and otters at the zoo.

Supporting Detail: Possible answer: Affection and altruism are instinctive emotions.

Supporting Detail: Possible answer: Most animals, like ants, beavers, and otters have a need to be part of a larger group.

The Tucson Zoo


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The Tucson Zoo

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After You Read

After You Read

Straw into Gold:

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Cluster Diagram A cluster diagram can help you see how a main event or accomplishment is affected by supporting events or details. One of the major accomplishments in Cisneros’s life was becoming a writer. This event was the result of many other events in her life. In the cluster diagram below write “Cisneros Becomes a Writer” in the center oval. Then in the surrounding ovals write events of her life that helped her achieve this goal.

Possible answer: She meets people who will be characters in her stories.

Possible answer: She went to a prestigious university.

Cisneros Becomes A Writer

Possible answer: She received an NEA grant.

Possible answer: She met other famous Chicana and Chicano artists.

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After You Read

After You Read


Note Cards Barack Obama states that “anyone who actually reads the Emancipation Proclamation knows it was more a military document than a clarion call for justice.” Is this an accurate assessment of this well-known document? What was Lincoln’s purpose for writing this proclamation? Go to the library or Internet to research the answer in books, articles, newspapers of the time, and the words of those who witnessed the events. Use note cards to record your information. Include the page number and source for each note. To save time, you might use a number or letter code to connect each note to its source card. Include the subject of the note in the upper righthand corner to help you organize your notes later, as in the example on the right. Evaluate your sources for validity and reliability. Remember the acronym ARTS. A

Accurate and Authoritative Make sure your facts are verifiable in more than one source. Note the author’s job title. Is he or she an authority as an expert? Has the author published other writings on this topic? Is he or she well known in the field?

R

Reliable Choose scholarly books, journals, and web sites. Consider the author’s purpose for writing. When using the Internet, note who is sponsoring the web site and reviewing the content. Avoid materials that show obvious or subtle signs of bias.

T

Timely Check the copyright date. Begin with the most recent materials available, especially when researching topics where information is updated frequently.

S

Suitable Choose materials that are relevant to your purpose and at your level of understanding.

Use the criteria above to evaluate the source card in the right-hand column. Circle the card if you would use this source. When you think have filled out enough note cards with relevant information from unbiased sources, sort your note cards into piles. Each pile’s cards should be related, so that they make up one category of information, such as “Lincoln’s feelings on slavery” or “Reasons for writing the Emancipation Proclamation.” Try arranging the piles in different ways to find a logical flow of ideas and to see which best presents your argument. You might find that you still need to find more information to make a strong argument.

3 “President Lincoln Signs the Emancipation Proclamation, 1863” Eyewitness to History, www. eyewitnesstohistory.com (2006). Source Card Reaction of advisors

3

Secretary of State William H. Steward was unsure about the timing of the announcement. Because the Union was experiencing a run of military defeats, he considered it a “desperate attempt to get people at home and abroad to support the cause.” (p. 2) Note Card



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After You Read


Problem and Solution A problem and solution essay or speech explains a subject. However, it goes further than just identifying an issue. It also offers an idea for changing the situation. Use the problem and solution diagram below to explore and review Morrison’s analysis of how the problem came about and what can be done to correct it. Problem Possible response: Abuse of women by other women.

Solution Possible response: Women must support and nurture other women, not oppress them.

Examples of Problem Possible response: Women who stop others’ promotions, humiliate clients, and otherwise victimize other women.

Support for the Solution Possible response: Women have both the power and the right to think of others beside themselves; women might have to sacrifice some personal safety and security in order to free others.

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After You Read

After You Read

Ode to My Socks

Bibliography Cards Imagine you are going to write a research paper about the life and works of Pablo Neruda. To generate ideas of topics to research, write a list of questions you have about Neruda’s life, his literary accomplishments, and how critics view his work. Write your questions on the lines below. A sample question has been written for you. When and why did Neruda decide to write poems about ordinary objects instead of impressive, “important” topics? How did people react to Neruda’s work at the time it was first published? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ How do Neruda’s poems reflect his life and times? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is Neruda’s most famous poem, and why do people remember it? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Select one question from your list that you would choose to research for your paper. Find other sources for your project, such as books, articles, and reliable Internet sites. Fill out the index cards below with the citations you would use in your bibliography. Feinstein, Adam. Pablo Neruda: A Passion for Life. New York: Bloomsbury, 2004.

Neruda, Pablo, and Hardie St. Martin (trans.). Memoirs. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1977.

“Neruda, Pablo.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online (accessed January 2, 2008).

Maurya, Vibha. “Celebrating Pablo Neruda’s Life.” 11 Aug 2004. Political Affairs Online Edition (accessed January 2, 2008).

Ode to My Socks


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Ode to My Socks

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After You Read

After You Read

We Are Family

Main Idea and Supporting Details A main idea and supporting details chart can help you organize the most focus on the most important idea of the text and details that support this idea. Think about Lee’s cultural identity. What factors helped Lee feel that he belonged in his Korean family? Fill in the chart below with the main idea of the essay and the details from the article that support the main idea. Main Idea: Unlike his experiences in the United States, Chang-rae Lee feels at home with and connected to his Korean family.

Supporting Detail: Lee felt it was remarkable and wonderful that he was included on his grandfather’s headstone.

Supporting Detail: He is familiar with Korean dishes and has the same taste for spicy foods as his Korean family.

Supporting Detail: He does not need to explain himself to his Korean family, he is accepted for who he is and is not stereotyped.

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After You Read

After You Read



Playing Jazz

Comparison and Theme Chart A comparison and theme chart can help you compare different selections. You can then combine what you record to draw conclusions about the theme of the selections as a whole. Think about the poems, piece of literary nonfiction, and letter you have read and fill out the chart below. Langston Hughes poetry

Dizzy Gillespie: Explorer of New Sounds

Playing Jazz

▲

▲

▲

Theme Possible answer: Jazz music can be an expression of joy in spite of sorrow.

Theme Possible answer: Innovation and collaboration are important parts of the jazz tradition.

Theme Possible answer: Jazz music requires dedication and a thorough understanding of past traditions.

▲

▲

▲

Overall Theme Possible answer: Jazz music inspires emotions and helps form identities.

Dream Boogie and Motto/Dizzy Gillespie—Explorer of New Sounds from Giants of Jazz/Playing Jazz


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After You Read


John Henry

A Song of Greatness Venn Diagram A Venn diagram can help you compare and contrast ideas presented in two works of literature. Think about how the selections “Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” and “John Henry” address the role of women in society. Then think about how the selections “A Song of Greatness” and “John Henry” address the value of courage. Use the Venn diagrams below to list similarities and differences in how the selections address these themes. One section has been filled in for you. Role of Women

“Where the Girl Rescued Her Brother” only Shows women and men as equals

Both Show that women can be brave and independent

“John Henry” only Shows women in the role of romantic partners

Value of Courage

“A Song of Greatness” only Does not show any negative consequences of courage

Both Show that courage is a valuable, honorable quality

“John Henry” only Shows that courage can sometimes betray people

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After You Read

After You Read

Functional DOCUMENTS Sample letter: ________________________________________________

59 Stark Street ________________________________________________ Chicago, IL 60614 ________________________________________________ (your address) March 14, 2009 ________________________________________________ (date) George Hill [Mr./Ms./Mrs./Miss] _______________________________ (name of contact person) Owner ________________________________________________ (title of contact person) George’s Cakes and Pies ________________________________________________ 81 East Avenue ________________________________________________ Chicago, IL 60614 ________________________________________________ (company name and address) Hill Dear [Mr./Mrs./Ms.] ________________________ , kitchen assistant position. _________________________________________________ I have been baking since I was a child, and I think your I am writing to apply for the ________________ company would be a great place to continue to work and learn. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ (briefly explain your interest in the position) working at a doughnut shop working in the cafeteria at a summer camp , _____________________________ My previous experiences include _______________________________________ , I have mastered basic cooking and baking skills, and I learn new techniques and baking for my family __________________________. _____________________________________________________________________ very quickly. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. (describe the skills that you have gained that qualify you for the position) Thank you for considering me for the position. If you have any questions, please contact me by phone at _________ 773-555-6543 or by email at ______________________________________________________________________ [email protected]. ______________ I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Sarah Gables ________________________ (your name)



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PRONUNCIATION KEY

This glossary lists the vocabulary words found in the selections in this book. The definition given is for the word as it is used in the selection; you may wish to consult a dictionary for other meanings of these words. The key below is a guide to the pronunciation symbols used in each entry. Pronounciation Key

316

a

at

ō

hope

ng

sing

ā

ape

ô

fork, all

th

thin

ä

father

oo

wood, put

th

this

e

end

oō

fool

zh

treasure

ē

me

oi

oil

ə

ago, taken, pencil,

i

it

ou

out

ı̄

ice

u

up

ʼ

indicates primary stress

o

hot

ū

use

ˊ

indicates secondary

lemon, circus

Word Study and Grammar Blackline Masters

During Reading

An

Astrologer’s Day

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Root Words and Word Origins Practice Use a dictionary to check the word history of each of these vocabulary words. Then answer the following questions, circling the letter of the correct answer. enhance

impetuous

paraphernalia

piqued

incantation

1. What language is the most recent source of enhance? a. Middle English b. Greek c. Latin 2. What language is the earliest source of enhance? a. Middle English b. Greek c. Latin 3. What language is the most recent source of impetuous? a. Latin b. Greek c. Middle English 4. What language is the earliest source of impetuous? a. Middle English b. Latin c. Norse 5. What language is the earliest source of paraphernalia? a. Greek b. Latin c. Sanskrit

7. What language is the earliest source of incantation? a. Middle English b. Latin c. Greek

A2

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6. What language is the most recent source of piqued? a. Middle English b. Latin c. French

During Reading

An

Astrologer’s Day

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Commas Before And, But, and Or A compound sentence is a sentence formed by combining two main clauses. In the following compound sentence, the two main clauses are underlined: Guru Nayak wanted to find his attacker, and he swore to keep searching until he found the man. In a compound sentence, the two main clauses are often separated by a comma and a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or or. The astrologer knew he had done something wrong, but he did not tell his wife about it. The comma may be left out between very short main clauses that are connected by a coordinating conjunction, but only if the meaning is clear without the comma. Clear: The astrologer went home and he talked with his wife. Unclear: He talked to Guru Nayak and his wife grew worried.


Clear: He talked to Guru Nayak, and his wife grew worried.

Practice Put commas in the correct places in each of the following compound sentences. Some sentences may not need a comma. 1. People can choose to seek revenge or they can choose to forgive and forget. 2. The astrologer opened his bag and he spread out his equipment. 3. Guru Nayak wanted to confront his attacker but he could not find him. 4. He saw Guru Nayak and the astrologer was afraid. 5. The astrologer’s story shocked his wife but the experience left him relieved.

An Astrologer's Day

A3

During Reading

Tuesday Siesta

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Word Families The root of a word is the part that provides its basic meaning. Usually the spelling and pronunciation of the root are somewhat different (and sometimes very different) from the spelling and pronunciation of the original word that is the source of the root. Most roots of English words come from Latin, Greek, German, or French, but many other languages have contributed as well. Different words can be based on the same root, and a group of words that share a root is called a word family. Below is a group of words from the family that shares the root scrut, which comes from the Latin verb scrutare, meaning “to examine” or “to look at carefully.” Notice that the words in a family can serve as different parts of speech. Look up each of the words in a dictionary and look for the word scrutare in its etymology. inscrutable scrutinize

scrutable scrutiny

Practice Each of the passages below comes from “Tuesday Siesta.” Look at the

1. But he said it without much conviction, partly because experience had made him a little skeptical. . . . Source word: ________________ Source definition: ______________________________ Related word(s): ___________________________________________________________ 2. There were groups of people under the almond trees. Source word: ________________ Source definition: ______________________________ Related word(s): ___________________________________________________________ 3. “The people have noticed.” Source word: ________________ Source definition: ______________________________ Related word(s): ___________________________________________________________ A4


underlined words in each one. Using a dictionary, determine the source of the root of that word (all three come from the Latin language). Then find another word that belongs to the same family. On the lines provided, write down the source word, its meaning, and the new word.

During Reading

Tuesday Siesta

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Multiple-Meaning Words As you may have noticed by the lists of definitions you often find when you look up a word in a dictionary, words can have more than one meaning. Often, this is a matter of connotation, the meaning suggested by the word when it is used in a certain context. For example, if a person says, “What an interesting idea,” interesting could have a negative connotation (if, say, the idea suggested was “Let’s have peanut butter and pickle sandwiches for lunch”), or it could mean the person really is fascinated (if the other person has just proposed a clever solution to a difficult problem). Meaning might also depend on the word’s part of speech. For example, the word shelter can be used either as a noun or a verb, which will involve changes in meaning. Homonyms could be considered multiple-meaning words. Actually, they are different words that have the same spelling; they often come from different roots and just happen to be spelled the same. The spelling air, for example, can mean the substance we breathe, a person’s attitude or expression, or a melody.


Practice The passages below come from “Tuesday Siesta.” Each contains one or two underlined words that can have multiple meanings. Based on the clues provided, write a sample sentence using that word in a different way. 1. It was the first time in her life that she had fired a gun. Here time means: _________________________________________________________ Use time as a verb: ________________________________________________________ Here fired means: _________________________________________________________ Use fire as a verb relating to a person losing a job: _______________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Then she heard . . . a very low voice, pleasant but terribly exhausted. Here terribly means: _______________________________________________________ Use terribly as it relates to being terrible: _______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday Siesta

A5

During Reading

Tuesday Siesta

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Action Verbs and Direct Objects An action verb describes what someone or something does. This might be a physical action, like to run, but it could also be a mental action, like to hope. Sometimes an action verb is followed by a direct object, which names the noun or noun phrase that has had the action done to it. (Remember that a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea; a noun phrase is a group of words that acts together as a noun.) One way to identify the direct object is to rephrase the sentence as a whom or what question. For example: Sentence: Harold ate three cookies. Question: Harold ate what? Direct object: three cookies

Practice A In the passages below from “Tuesday Siesta,” identify whether or not the underlined verb is an action verb. Put a check in the box next to the correct answer. Y

■

N

1. The train emerged from the quivering tunnel of sandy rocks. . . .

■

Y

■

N

2. The girl nodded her head.

■

Y

■

N

3. The narrow waiting room was poor, neat, and clean.

■

Y

■

N

4. I am his mother.

■

Y

■

N

5. She took the girl by the hand and went into the street.

Practice B In the sentences below, answer the questions about “Tuesday Siesta” by adding a direct object to the blank line. 1. On the train the woman tells _____________________________ to comb her hair. 2. The priest and his sister both wear ____________________________________________ . 3. The person who shot _____________________________ was a widow named Rebecca. 4. The townspeople gather around the parish house to see ___________________________ .

A6


■

During Reading

When Mr. Pirzada

Came to Dine

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Prefixes and Suffixes Prefixes are word parts added to the beginnings of base words. Suffixes are word parts added to the ends of base words. Both prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning of a base word. The following table shows a few common prefixes. Prefix in-, un-, imre-

Meaning “not” or “opposite of” “again”

Example Words independence, unlike, immovable rearrange

The following table shows some common suffixes that change a word’s part of speech. Suffix -ly -less -ion

Meaning “in the manner of” “without” “condition of”

Part of Speech It Forms adverb adjective noun

Example Word accidentally restless reflection


Practice A Combine the following prefixes and base words. Then write the meaning of each newly formed word. 1. un- + pleasant = ________________ Meaning: ________________

2. re- + placed = ________________ Meaning: ________________

Practice B Combine the following base words and suffixes. Write the part of speech of each newly formed word. Then write the meaning of each newly formed word. Use a dictionary if you need help. 1. final + -ly = ________________

2. harm + -less = ________________

Part of speech: ________________

Part of speech: ________________

Meaning: ________________

Meaning: ________________

3. express + -ion = ________________ Part of speech: ________________ Meaning: ____________________________ When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

A7

During Reading

When Mr. Pirzada

Came to Dine

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Context Meaning Context—the words and phrases around a word—can help you figure out the meanings of words you do not know. Context clues come in many forms. A context clue could be an example, a contrast, a restatement, or a synonym or antonym.

Practice Read these sentences from the story. Look for context clues that will help you determine the meaning of the boldfaced word. Circle the correct meaning. 1. “I have no memory of his first visit, or of his second or his third, but by the end of September I had grown so accustomed to Mr. Pirzada’s presence in our living room that one evening . . . I asked my mother to hand me a fourth glass from a cupboard still out of my reach.” tired of used to afraid of 2. “I noticed that there were two distinct parts to it, one much larger than the other, separated by an expanse of Indian territory. . . .” similar unusual separate

4. “It was an awkward moment for me, one which I awaited in part with dread, in part with delight.” graceful easy uncomfortable 5. “I drew two triangles against the ridged surface for the eyes . . . and crescents for eyebrows. . . .” curved shapes circles straight lines 6. “My father equipped us with flashlights, and I had to wear my watch and synchronize it with his. We were to return no later than nine o’clock.” touch set to the same time set to a different time 7. “By the time we reached Dora’s house our hands were chapped from carrying our bulging burlap bags. . . .” nearly empty torn swelling outward 8. “. . . he now understood the meaning of the words ‘thank you’ but they still were not adequate to express his gratitude.” thankfulness sorrow affection

A8


3. “Though my father always offered to fetch him in our car, Mr. Pirzada preferred to walk from his dormitory to our neighborhood. . . .” liked better disliked avoided

When Mr. Pirzada

During Reading

Came to Dine

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Simple and Compound Sentences A simple sentence has one subject and one predicate. SUBJECT Mr. Pirzada Lilia’s parents

PREDICATE brought gifts of candy to Lilia. found Mr. Pirzada’s name on a list.

A simple sentence may contain a compound subject or a compound predicate or both. COMPOUND SUBJECT Lilia and Dora

COMPOUND PREDICATE wore costumes and went trick-or-treating.

A compound sentence contains two or more simple sentences joined by a comma and and, but, or or. They can also be joined by a semicolon. SIMPLE SENTENCE SIMPLE SENTENCE Mr. Pirzada came each evening, and he brought sweets for Lilia. Mr. Pirzada came each evening; he brought sweets for Lilia.


Practice Write S in the blank before each simple sentence. Write C before each compound sentence. S EXAMPLE: __________ The story takes place in the autumn of 1971. ____________ 1. Mr. Pirzada wrote to his wife and sent comic books to his daughters. ____________ 2. The grant was an honor, but it was not very generous. ____________ 3. Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s parents had a great deal in common. ____________ 4. Lilia had been born in the United States. ____________ 5. Mr. Pirzada wore a black fez on his head; he had a silk tie knotted at his neck. ____________ 6. The adults sat in the living room, and they watched the news. ____________ 7. Mr. Pirzada set his watch to the local time in Dacca. ___________ 8. Lilia usually did homework in the evening, but that night she watched the news. ____________ 9. Were Mr. Pirzada’s daughters safe, or were they in danger? When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

A9

MOON

During Reading

Catch the

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Base Words and Derivatives A base word is a word part that is itself a word. A derivative is a word that is formed by adding prefixes, suffixes, or whole words to a base word. Notice how the word rest functions as the base of each word below. rest unrest restlessly restroom

Practice For each item, use the base word and one or more word parts from the box to form a derivative that will correctly complete each sentence. Use a dictionary to check your spelling. aen-

ilin-

im-ence -ation -ed

-ful -iate

-ity -ize

-ial -ly

-ous -ent

1. reside b. The ________________ of El Building were mostly newcomers to America. 2. danger a. Climbing the silver mountain of hubcaps could be ________________. b. Luis’s boa was named E.S., which stood for ________________ species. 3. patient a. At first, Luis was ________________ and unwilling to listen to his father. b. Luis tried to listen ________________ as his father told of his dreams. 4. secure a. To Mr. Cintrón, having his own business meant ________________. b. Luis felt shy and ________________ when talking to Naomi. 5. organize a. Luis’s ________________ was registered as a “social club.” b. He and his gang ________________ a talent show. A10


a. Luis lived in a ________________ area filled with single-family homes.

During Reading

Catch the

MOON

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Denotation and Connotation A denotation expresses the exact meaning of a word. A word may have more than one denotation, but all of its denotations will be listed in the dictionary. Connotation refers to an emotion or value associated with a word. A word may have positive, negative, or neutral connotations. For example, the words beautiful and pretty have similar denotations, but beautiful has a more positive connotation, implying an attractiveness that excites the emotions. Pretty has a slightly less positive connotation, suggesting merely something that is pleasing to the eye.

Practice A Read each sentence. Use your knowledge of denotation and connotation to circle the best connotation of each underlined word. 1. Luis was stunned by his father’s offer to find the hubcap. a. shocked b. unbelieving c. surprised


2. His father objected to the T-shirt logo, calling it disgusting. a. offensive b. shocking c. nauseating 3. Luis was determined in his search for the matching hubcap. a. stubborn b. strong willed c. focused and goal-oriented 4. Naomi was a refined young woman. a. well-mannered b. quiet 5. Mr. Cintrón worshipped his wife. a. bowed to her wishes b. loved

c. polished in her actions and appearance c. idolized

Practice B Complete each sentence by underlining the word in parentheses that has the more positive connotation. 1. Luis (refused / declined) to speak with anyone at the funeral. 2. “She is such a (pleasant / nice) young woman,” said Mr. Cintrón. 3. Naomi was (surprised / alarmed) to see Luis outside her window. 4. Luis (outsmarted / duped) everyone by calling his organization a social club. 5. The (skinny / slender) girl in a frilly white dress had been Naomi. 6. Luis noticed that Naomi wore a (flashy / shiny) gold bracelet. 7. Luis sat in his father’s (ancient / old) Buick and cried.

Catch the Moon

A11

During Reading

Catch the

MOON

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Direct and Indirect Objects An indirect object can appear only in a sentence that has a direct object. Just as a direct object answers the question whom? or what? after an action verb, an indirect object answers the question to whom? or for whom? An indirect object always comes before the direct object. Luis brought Mr. Cintrón a bag of ice. (The indirect object Mr. Cintrón answers the question, Luis brought a bag of ice for whom?) Naomi gave Luis a drawing. (The indirect object Luis answers the question, Naomi gave a drawing to whom?)

Practice Read each sentence. Write DO on the line if the italicized word is a direct object. Write IO if the italicized word is an indirect object. An example is provided. IO EXAMPLE: __________ The old woman gave Luis a scar. ____________ 1. The judge offered Luis a chance at a new life.

____________ 3. Luis assigned other guys dangerous jobs. ____________ 4. The Tiburones sang the audience a song. ____________ 5. The audience gave the Tiburones a standing ovation. ____________ 6. The boys bought their boa mice. ____________ 7. Anita told the principal information about Luis. ____________ 8. Naomi’s father gave her a vintage car. ____________ 9. Luis gave his father a look of surprise. ____________ 10. The mother gave her family love and attention. ____________ 11. Luis brought his mother much happiness. ____________ 12. The neighbors offered the family their sympathy.

A12


____________ 2. Mr. Cintrón gave Luis a job in his car junkyard.

During Reading


Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Main Verbs: Principal Parts Verbs have four principal parts: the base form, the present participle, the past form, and the past participle. These principal parts are often combined with helping verbs to form verb phrases. The main verb is always the last verb in a verb phrase. Base Form:

I enjoy spending time with my friends.

Present Participle:

I am enjoying the sunny day. (The main verb, enjoying, is the last verb in the verb phrase.)

Past Form:

I enjoyed the movie very much.

Past Participle:

I have enjoyed all of the movies I have seen by that director. (The main verb, enjoyed, is the last verb in the verb phrase.)

Practice Draw one line under the entire verb phrase. Draw two lines under the main verb. EXAMPLE:

Aunt Tee and her friends were playing cards.


1. Aunt Tee was living in her own apartment. 2. Maya Angelou had visited her aunt before. 3. Aunt Tee had retired. 4. Angelou was sitting on the uncomfortable couch. 5. Aunt Tee had worked for wealthy families. 6. They were living in Bel Air. 7. Angelou was working as an actress. 8. Angelou has written several autobiographies. 9. Aunt Tee’s employers were watching from the door. 10. Angelou has traveled around the world. 11. Some people buy lots of things because they are trying to make themselves happy.


A13

During Reading

The Tucson Zoo

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Irregular Verbs I Verbs that do not form their past and past participle by adding the ending -ed are called irregular verbs. With some irregular verbs, one vowel changes in the past form and past participle. BASE FORM begin sing swim

PAST FORM began sang swam

PAST PARTICIPLE begun sung swum

With other irregular verbs, the past form and the past participle are the same. PAST FORM brought bought caught felt left made sat slept taught thought

PAST PARTICIPLE brought bought caught felt left made sat slept taught thought

Practice Write in the blank the correct form of the verb in parentheses. EXAMPLE:

felt Mary ________________ sad about the team’s loss. (feel)

1. Thomas watched the beavers and otters as they ________________ in their habitats in the zoo. (swim) 2. He enjoyed watching them at play until he ________________ thinking like an ethologist. (begin) 3. Ants have ________________ some people that individuality is better than altruism. (teach) 4. Thomas wonders what ants ________________ as they acted one single creature. (think) 5. He has ________________ with the boys choir since he was six years old. (sing)

A14


BASE FORM bring buy catch feel leave make sit sleep teach think

During Reading

Straw into Gold:

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Synonyms Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. Sometimes these words differ slightly in meaning and intensity. Read below to see how synonyms have slightly different meanings. angry

fuming

annoyed

These three words are all synonyms, but notice that fuming is a lot stronger than annoyed.


Practice A Find the synonym for each word below. Circle the letter in front of the word. 1. compassionate a. wrong b. cruel

c. kind d. right

2. justice a. inequality b. dishonest

c. unfit d. fairness

3. loud a. calm b. thunderous

c. silent d. rush

4. cunning a. slow-witted b. truthful

c. crafty d. snob

Practice B Circle the word that has the strongest meaning in each group of synonyms below. 1. chilly freezing brisk

3. terrified scared frightened

2. unrealistic unlikely impossible

4. small miniscule tiny


A15

During Reading

Straw into Gold:

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Irregular Verbs II With some irregular verbs, the past form ends in –ew, and the past participle ends in –wn. BASE FORM blow draw fly grow know

PAST FORM blew drew flew grew knew

PAST PARTICIPLE blown drawn flown grown known

With others, the past form and the past participle do not follow any pattern. BASE FORM be do go wear

PAST FORM was, were did went wore

PAST PARTICIPLE been done gone worn

EXAMPLE:

blew The wind ________________ her hair in her face. (blow)

1. When Sandra Cisneros was younger, she ________________ a crumpled skirt. (wear) 2. Cisneros ________________ inspiration from family, friends, and her neighborhood for her stories. (draw) 3. The ladies’ sadness had ________________ on their faces for years. (be) 4. Cisneros and her brothers had ________________ up in a nomadic household before 1966. (grow) 5. Cisneros has ________________ to Europe on an NEA grant. (fly) 6. She ________________ to a prestigious school and received her MFA. (go) 7. Do you think her family ________________ of her talent when she was growing up? (know)

A16


Practice Write in the blank the past form of the irregular verb in parentheses.


During Reading

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Irregular Verbs III With some irregular verbs, the base form and the past participle are the same. BASE FORM become come run

PAST FORM became came ran

PAST PARTICIPLE become come run


With other irregular verbs, the past participle ends in –en. BASE FORM bite break choose drive eat fall give see speak take write

PAST FORM bit broke chose drove ate fell gave saw spoke took wrote

PAST PARTICIPLE bitten or bit broken chosen driven eaten fallen given seen spoken taken written

Practice Write in the blank the past participle of the irregular verb in parentheses. EXAMPLE:

become Abraham Lincoln has ________________ an inspiration to many people. (become)

1. Lincoln had ________________ for office in Illinois. (run) 2. We had ________________ to New Salem, Illinois, to see his home. (drive) 3. He had ________________ out against slavery as early as 1837. (speak) 4. Lincoln had ________________ a job as a lawyer. (take) 5. Lincoln had ________________ the country divided by war. (see) 6. Lincoln had ________________ a carefully worded proclamation. (write) 7. Lincoln had ________________ to Ford’s Theatre to see a play. (come) 8. Barack Obama has ________________ many photographs of Lincoln. (see) What I See in Lincoln’s Eyes

A17


During Reading

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Sentence Fragments A sentence must have both a subject and a predicate to express a complete thought. A group of words that lacks a subject, a predicate, or both is a sentence fragment. A fragment does not express a complete thought and should be avoided in writing. Describes the stepsisters as beautiful. (lacks a subject) Social and welfare workers who. (lacks a predicate) For many working women. (lacks a subject and a predicate)

Practice Draw one line under the complete subject and two lines under the complete predicate of each complete sentence. If a sentence is not complete, write F (fragment) in the blank. F EXAMPLE: __________ Halfway through the book. ____________ 1. The Stepsisters treated Cinderella horribly. ____________ 2. Talks about Cinderella.

____________ 4. Morrison delivered this speech during the 1980s. ____________ 5. Some women treat each other poorly in the workplace. ____________ 6. The fairy tales of many different cultures. ____________ 7. Can remember enough details to retell the story. ____________ 8. What has happened to sisterhood? ____________ 9. Similar plots, characters, and themes are found in different cultures. ____________ 10. The original tales were told aloud to children and adults. ____________ 11. Have quite a few characteristics in common. ____________ 12. Among the most famous writers are the Grimm brothers and Charles Perrault.

A18


____________ 3. Makes them seem clumsy and ugly.

During Reading


Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Run-On Sentences A run-on sentence is two or more sentences incorrectly written as one sentence. Correct a run-on sentence by writing separate sentences or by combining the sentences with a semicolon (;) or with a comma and and, or, or but. RUN-ON SENTENCE Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford, she later changed her first name to “Toni.” CORRECTED SENTENCE Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford. She later changed her first name to “Toni.” Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford; she later changed her first name to “Toni.” Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford, but she later changed her first name to “Toni.”

Practice Write R next to each run-on sentence. EXAMPLE:

R __________ Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize in Literature she won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, too.


___________ 1. Morrison was born in Ohio, the second of four children. ___________ 2. She grew up in a family of storytellers and developed an appreciation of language. ___________ 3. Morrison graduated from Howard University, she appeared in campus theater productions. ___________ 4. During the 1960s she joined a writer’s workshop, where she wrote a story she later turned into her first novel. ___________ 5. At a New York publishing house, Morrison worked almost exclusively with African American writers. ___________ 6. From 1970 to 1992, she published five novels, a play, and a book of literary criticism, she also began teaching again part-time. ___________ 7. Morrison’s works exhibit both an awesome beauty and an enormous political power. ___________ 8. One of her favorite themes is the friendship between women how it is shaped by their choices and their community.


A19

During Reading

Ode to My Socks Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Personal Pronouns A pronoun takes the place of a noun. A personal pronoun refers to a person, place, thing, or idea by indicating the person speaking (the first person), the person or people being spoken to (the second person), or any other person, place, thing, or idea being talked about (the third person). A subject pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, we, or they) is a personal pronoun that is the subject of a sentence. An object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, or them) is a personal pronoun that is the direct object or indirect object of a verb. He wore socks. (The subject pronoun he is the subject of the sentence.) The socks inspired him to write an ode. (The object pronoun him is the object of the verb inspired.)

Practice A Circle each personal pronoun. EXAMPLE:

I can’t believe the poem is about a pair of socks!

1. Maru Mori gave him a pair of hand-knitted socks. 2. Her beautiful and thoughtful gift thrilled him. 4. They were “as soft / as rabbits,” he wrote. 5. Does it surprise you that the ode is one of his best-known poems? 6. I wish I could see the poetry in everyday objects in the same way that he does.

Practice B Replace each italicized word or group of words with a personal pronoun. Write the pronoun above the words. Write subj. in the blank if the pronoun is a subject and obj. if it is an object. us obj. EXAMPLE: __________ Mr. Yoshida read the poem to Kay, Don, and me. ___________ 1. When he was a young man, Pablo Neruda wrote constantly. ___________ 2. Teachers encouraged Neruda to write more poetry. ___________ 3. Did you read the entire poem? ___________ 4. With great care, the poet describes how the socks look and feel.

A20


3. As soon as he could, he tried them on.

During Reading



Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Antonyms Antonyms are words that have opposite or nearly opposite meanings. The following chart provides antonyms for each of the vocabulary words from “After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes” and “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” Study the chart. Then complete Practice A. Vocabulary Word ceremonious recollect stupor lag

Antonym casual forget alertness progress

Practice A In each of the numbered sets below, three of the words or phrases


are synonyms for one of the vocabulary words in the chart. Underline the word or phrase in each set that is an antonym of the vocabulary word. Then write the set’s vocabulary word on the line following it. Use a dictionary to look up any words that you do not know. 1. recall

remember

2. formal

lax

3. advance 4. numbness

lose sight of decorous

linger daze

trail

bring to mind ________________

proper ________________ fall behind ________________

sluggishness

energy ________________

Practice B Answer the questions that follow each statement. 1. The Friday night social at the VFW hall was anything but ceremonious. Was the social tightly structured or informal? ___________________________________ 2. The speaker was surprised by the attentiveness of her audience; she had expected that her technical speech would put them in a stupor. Did the audience display boredom and indifference toward the speech or keen interest? ________________________________________________________________________


A21

During Reading



Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Using Pronouns Correctly Pronouns are words used in place of one or more nouns. Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things. There are three categories of personal pronouns: firstperson, second-person, and third-person. Within these categories, personal pronouns have different forms depending on the grammatical function, number, and gender of the nouns they replace or represent. Below is a complete list of personal pronouns. Grammatical Function First Person: Subject Object Possessive

Singular I me my, mine

Plural we us our, ours

Second Person:

Subject Object Possessive

you you your, yours

you you your, yours

Third Person:


he, she, it him, her, it his, hers, its

they them their, theirs

Where there are two possessive forms shown, you use the first before a noun and the second alone, in place of a noun. Used before a noun: Where is your homework? Used after a noun: That homework is yours.

Practice Underline the pronoun in parentheses that best completes each sentence. 1. Lois helped (we, us) decorate the room for the party. 2. Cindy told Lois and (I, me) where to hang the banner. 3. My task was difficult, but (your, yours) was more difficult. 4. Are (they, them) going to help out or just stand around? 5. It was (I, me) who noticed that they had taken it.

A22


Use subject pronouns as the subject of a sentence: He won the contest. Use object pronouns as the object of a verb: He beat them. Use possessive pronouns to show possession: The trophy on the mantel is his.

During Reading

Miss Rosie

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Pronouns and Antecedents The word or group of words that a pronoun refers to is its antecedent. The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender. The woman in the poem is very old, but she had once been young and beautiful. (Woman is the antecedent of the pronoun she). The poems of Lucille Clifton are often grim. They portray the harsh realities of urban life. (Poems is the antecedent of they.)

Practice Fill in the blank with the correct pronoun. Then circle the antecedent of the pronoun. she Clifton’s mother worked as a laundress, but ________________ also found time to write poetry.

EXAMPLE:

1. Clifton was born in the middle of the Depression. ________________ was a severe


economic crisis that lasted throughout the 1930s. 2. Clifton entered Howard University at sixteen, where ________________ studied drama before turning to poetry. 3. When Clifton’s first book was published in 1969, ________________ was hailed by the New York Times as one of the year’s ten best books. 4. Two collections of Clifton’s poetry were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1988; ________________ were Good Woman and Next. 5. The history of Clifton’s ancestors is sometimes tragic; ________________ includes victims of slavery and lynching. 6. Although Clifton’s parents were not formally educated, ________________ passed on a love of learning to her. 7. Clifton’s poems are usually short, but ________________ often deal with complex situations.

Miss Rosie

A23

During Reading

We Are Family

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Making Subjects and Verbs Agree The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in number. A noun that is singular must be used with the singular form of the verb. A noun that is plural is used with the plural form of the verb. The flight lasts seven hours. (singular noun flight, singular verb lasts) The flights last seven hours. (plural noun flights, plural verb last)

Practice Underline the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject. 1. Koreans (engraves, engrave) headstones with the names of family members. 2. Lee’s father (bows, bow) to show his respect. 3. Lee and his father (visits, visit) the gravesite. 4. Lee’s uncle tells him, “Everyone (is, are) here.” 5. Koreans sometimes (writes, write) in Chinese characters.

7. Lee’s family members (dines, dine) at a barbecue restaurant. 8. While his family members (talks, talk), Lee (prepares, prepare) food. 9. Halmoni (lives, live) with Lee’s aunt. 10. Lee’s aunts (cooks, cook) the meal. 11. Though she can barely walk, Lee’s grandmother (does, do) not like to ask for help. 12. Halmoni (holds, hold) Lee’s hand and (tells, tell) him to visit his father.

A24


6. During Lee’s trip to Korea, he (realizes, realize) how important family is to him.

During Reading


Playing Jazz

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Subject Pronouns and Verb Agreement In sentences, subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) must agree with the verb. I play. (First person, singular) You play. (Second person, singular) He, she, or it plays. (Third person, singular)

We play. (First person, plural) You play. (Second person, plural) They play. (Third person, plural)

The verbs have, do, and be can be main verbs or helping verbs. They must agree with the subject whether they are used as main or helping verbs. I am tired. (main verb) She does good work. (main verb) You have three instruments. (main verb)

I am practicing. (helping verb) They do like jazz. (helping verb) You have met the band leader. (helping verb)

Practice Draw two lines under the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject. EXAMPLE:

I (hopes, hope) the jazz concert isn’t sold out.

1. We always (has, have) to wait for the trumpet player to arrive. Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2. She (is, are) planning to learn a new instrument this summer. 3. I hope he (find, finds) the music books. 4. It (is, are) obvious that the music show will have to be postponed. 5. Walking up to the stage, we (prepare, prepares) to play. 6. They (have, has) gone to see the new jazz band play at the Blue Note. 7. We usually (packs, pack) our instruments just before leaving. 8. Today you (seems, seem) even happier to play than usual. 9. He (says, say) that he doesn’t want musical imitators in his band. 10. We (visit, visits) other jazz clubs to hear new bands play. 11. Frankie (stays, stay) for hours listening to performance after performance. 12. They (lives, live) out of their suitcases when they are touring.


A25

During Reading

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Act 2 Scene 1

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Figurative Language: Similes and Metaphors A simile is a comparison of things that are basically unlike, using the words like or as. A metaphor is a similar comparison, without the words like or as. Shakespeare’s language is full of such comparisons. Their purpose is to help readers or listeners understand an unfamiliar thing by comparing it to a familiar thing. For example, Brutus says people should think of Caesar “as a serpent’s egg.” This is a simile because it contains the word as. We know that such an egg contains an unborn serpent, or poisonous snake, that will hatch and become dangerous. Therefore, Caesar may become dangerous if he “hatches,” or becomes more powerful. Brutus also says that “lowliness is young ambition’s ladder.” This is a metaphor because it does not contain like or as. We know how a ladder works: One climbs from the bottom to the top. Therefore, lowliness, or humility, is a means to climb from a low position in society to a higher position.

Practice The following sentences contain similes and metaphors based on lines in

■

S

■

M

1. The meteors falling through the air are like lamps. Brutus can read by them because _______________________________ .

■

S

■

M

2. Brutus’s mind is a kingdom in the middle of a revolution. Brutus is feeling _____________________________________________ .

■

S

■

M

3. The evils that Rome suffers are torches that could set fire even to cowards. The evils could inspire cowards to act ____________________________ .

■

S

■

M

4. The conspirators should look as dignified and at ease as Roman actors. The conspirators should not show their true feelings, but they should ___________________________________________________________ .

A26


Julius Caesar, Act 2, Scene 1. For each sentence, circle the two things being compared. Check the box to indicate whether it is a simile (S) or a metaphor (M). Then complete the second sentence to show what can be learned from the comparison.

During Reading

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Act 2 Scene 1

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Locating the Subject Sometimes a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb. The verb must agree with the subject of the sentence and not with the object of the preposition. The characters in the play are all Roman citizens. The plot by the conspirators proves fatal to Caesar. In the first sentence, in the play is a prepositional phrase. The subject of the sentence is characters, which is plural; therefore, the verb that agrees with it, are, is also plural. In the second sentence, by the conspirators is a prepositional phrase. The singular verb proves agrees with plot, which is a singular subject. You can check for subject-verb agreement by removing the prepositional phrase. The characters are all Roman citizens. The plot proves fatal to Caesar.


Some sentences begin with there or here. These words are never the subject of a sentence. Look for the subject after the verb. There are strange and mysterious omens throughout the night. Here in the orchard sits a stone bench. To make finding the subject easier, rearrange these sentences by placing the subject before the verb in the usual manner. Strange and mysterious omens are there throughout the night. A stone bench sits here in the orchard.

Practice Draw one line under the subject. Draw two lines under the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject. EXAMPLE:

Each of Brutus’s visitors (wears, wear) a disguise.

1. His worry about Caesar’s ambitions (makes, make) Brutus think of Caesar’s death. 2. The letters from an unknown sender (tells, tell) Brutus to act. 3. Meteors in the sky (gives, give) enough light to read by. 4. Cassius says that every one of the conspirators (honors, honor) Brutus. 5. A report of bad auguries (worries, worry) Cassius. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1

A27

During Reading

The Tr agedy of

Julius Caesar

Act 4 Scene 1

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Homophones Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently. For example, to, too, and two: • To is a preposition and is used in a prepositional phrase: The senators will escort Caesar to the Capitol. • Too is an adverb meaning “also”: The conspirators wonder if they should kill Antony too. • Two means “one more than one” and can be used as an adjective or a noun: While Brutus and Cassius talk, Casca discusses the sunrise with two other characters. These homophones sometimes give writers problems: there, their, and they’re. • There is an adverb meaning “in that place”: The letters from unknown writers are there on the table. • Their is a possessive pronoun meaning “belonging to or done by them”: The conspirators wrap their faces in cloaks to disguise themselves. • They’re is a contraction meaning “they are”: They’re all prepared to persuade Brutus to join them.

EXAMPLE:

All the conspirators had (herd, heard) about Caesar’s superstitions.

1. Strange omens had been (scene, seen) in the night sky. 2. Someone tossed that letter (through, threw) an open window. 3. Brutus had (read, red) all the mysterious letters sent to him. 4. Worries about Caesar (way, weigh) heavily on Brutus’s thoughts. 5. Brutus personally (new, knew) all these men for years. 6. Casca points out where the (rays, raise) of the sun will appear. 7. Portia thinks it isn’t (right, write) for Brutus to be out at night. 8. Caius chooses to (where, wear) a scarf around his head. 9. Antony says Lepidus will (bare, bear) some of their responsibility. 10. Will there ever again be (piece, peace) in Rome?

A28


Practice Circle the homophone in parentheses that correctly completes the sentence.

During Reading

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Word Study Compound Words Compound words are words that are made up of two smaller words. You can often figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar compound word by identifying the two smaller words. The following chart shows three compound words from the selection and the component words from which they are made.

Compound Word

Component Word

daylight

day + light

countryside

country + side

birdsong

bird + song

Practice A Combine a word from Column 1 with a word from Column 2 to form a


compound word. Write the compound words on the lines below. (You will use each the component word once.) Column 1 mountain land cow sun

Column 2 shed shine fill top

1. ________________

3. ________________

2. ________________

4. ________________

Practice B Complete each sentence with the correct compound word. handmaid

bedside

halfway

downstairs

1. Thor felt on the ________________ table for his hammer. 2. Thor dragged Loki ________________ to the stables. 3. The fire god disguised himself as a ________________. 4. In a flash of lightning, Thor’s chariot sped ________________ across the sky.


A29

During Reading

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Kinds of Sentences: Declarative and Interrogative A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. All sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark. Different kinds of sentences have different purposes. A declarative sentence makes a statement. It ends with a period. The Vikings of the Middle Ages created Norse mythology. An interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with a question mark. Did you know that Vikings reached North America around A.D. 1000?

Practice Insert a question mark on the blank line if the sentence is interrogative. Insert a period if the sentence is declarative. 1. The Vikings settled both Iceland and Greenland _____ 2. Do you known the origin of the word Viking _____ 3. What countries comprise the region known as Scandinavia _____

5. In the Middle Ages, Viking ships were the finest in the world _____ 6. Viking ships were propelled by both sails and oars _____ 7. What was the top speed a Viking longship could reach _____ 8. The Vikings recorded their mythology in collections called Eddas _____ 9. What are the names of the nine worlds of Norse mythology _____ 10. Vikings believed that those who died in battle went straight to Valhalla, the great hall of the god Odin _____

A30


4. Normandy, a region in northwestern France, was once a Viking kingdom _____

During Reading

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Kinds of Sentences: Exclamatory and Imperative In addition to declarative and interrogative sentences, there are two other types of sentences. An exclamatory sentence shows strong feelings. It ends with an exclamation point. I’ve lost the watch my father gave me! An imperative sentence commands someone to do something. The subject you is understood. An imperative sentence can end either with a period or an exclamation point. (You) Please help me search the house for it. (You) Help me find it!

Practice Write exc. in the blank before each exclamatory sentence and imp. in the blank before each imperative sentence. exc. EXAMPLE: __________ That watch is my favorite possession! ____________ 1. Search in all the bedrooms upstairs. Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

____________ 2. I can’t think where I might have left it! ____________ 3. Look under there! ____________ 4. Help me move this sofa. ____________ 5. Ask John and Lisa if they have seen my watch. ____________ 6. What a thing to happen today! ____________ 7. Shine the flashlight over in the corner. ____________ 8. I’m so embarrassed! ____________ 9. Don’t leave yet! ____________ 10. I found it!


A31

During Reading



Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Adjectives that Compare Some kinds of adjectives compare two or more nouns or pronouns. The comparative form of an adjective compares two things or people. It is usually formed by adding –er to an adjective that has only one syllable. If an adjective has more than one syllable, the comparative is usually formed by adding the word more before the adjective. Buffalo Calf Road Woman is braver than most people. John Henry is more heroic than the other railroad workers. The superlative form of an adjective compares more than two people or things. It is usually formed by adding –est to an adjective that has only one syllable. If the adjective has more than one syllable, the superlative is usually formed by adding most before the adjective. Buffalo Calf Road Woman is the bravest of her people. John Henry is the most heroic of all the railroad workers.

EXAMPLE:

The Lakota are (fiercer, fiercest) than their enemies.

1. The battle was the (dreadfulest, most dreadful) thing that Buffalo Calf Road Woman had ever seen. 2. Buffalo Calf Road Woman was a (more determined, determinedest) woman than most. 3. The wives of officials had to be of the (most high, highest) moral character. 4. Buffalo Calf Road Woman is the (stronger, strongest) woman I have ever read about. 5. The woman in the Society of Quilters were (more honorable, honorablest) than others. 6. The Lakota and Cheyenne were (swifter, more swift) than their opponents. 7. The (most big, biggest) problem for the Lakota and Cheyenne was that the whites outnumbered them. 8. Buffalo Calf Road Woman’s actions were the (most surprising, surprisingest) parts of the battle. A32


Practice Underline the adjective in parentheses that best completes each sentence.

During Reading


The Dream

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Grammar Link Adverbs Modifying Verbs An adverb modifies, or describes, a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. An adverb tells how, when, or where about the word it modifies. An adverb that modifies a verb may appear in different positions in a sentence: Al sleepily said, “I’m going to bed.” (The adverb sleepily tells how Al said the words.) Often he dreams of being chased. (The adverb often tells when he dreams of being chased.) In the dream, he runs downstairs. (The adverb downstairs tells where he runs.) Most, but not all, words that end in -ly are adverbs. This type of adverb is usually formed by adding -ly to an adjective. For instance, add -ly to strange to get strangely. Some adverbs that do not end in -ly are soon, after, now, later, hard, not, fast, often, today, always, very, and here.

Practice Underline each adverb. Draw an arrow to the verb it modifies. 哭 EXAMPLE:

That story about the dream unfolded eerily.


1. People of many cultures have written movingly about their dreams. 2. In modern times, dream stories often include illogical events. 3. In “What I Have Been Doing Lately,” author Jamaica Kincaid precisely describes a strange dream. 4. The story’s narrator wearily walks along a mysterious road. 5. Soon she wishes that she were home in bed. 6. The narrator quickly moves from one bizarre situation to another. 7. Eventually, parts of the dream repeat. 8. Kincaid’s story concludes very surprisingly.


A33

A2

An

Astrologer’s Day

impetuous

paraphernalia

piqued

7. What language is the earliest source of incantation? a. Middle English b. Latin c. Greek

6. What language is the most recent source of piqued? a. Middle English b. Latin c. French

5. What language is the earliest source of paraphernalia? a. Greek b. Latin c. Sanskrit

4. What language is the earliest source of impetuous? a. Middle English b. Latin c. Norse

3. What language is the most recent source of impetuous? a. Latin b. Greek c. Middle English

2. What language is the earliest source of enhance? a. Middle English b. Greek c. Latin

1. What language is the most recent source of enhance? a. Middle English b. Greek c. Latin

enhance

incantation

words. Then answer the following questions, circling the letter of the correct answer.

Practice Use a dictionary to check the word history of each of these vocabulary

Word Study Root Words and Word Origins

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

A02-A32_G10_APP_BLMs_TWE.indd A2

A34 2/19/08 8:21:40 PM

An

Astrologer’s Day


An Astrologer's Day

5. The astrologer’s story shocked his wife, but the experience left him relieved.

4. He saw Guru Nayak, and the astrologer was afraid.

3. Guru Nayak wanted to confront his attacker, but he could not find him.

2. The astrologer opened his bag and he spread out his equipment.

1. People can choose to seek revenge, or they can choose to forgive and forget.

Practice Put commas in the correct places in each of the following compound sentences. Some sentences may not need a comma.

Clear: He talked to Guru Nayak, and his wife grew worried.

Unclear: He talked to Guru Nayak and his wife grew worried.

Clear: The astrologer went home and he talked with his wife.

The comma may be left out between very short main clauses that are connected by a coordinating conjunction, but only if the meaning is clear without the comma.

The astrologer knew he had done something wrong, but he did not tell his wife about it.

In a compound sentence, the two main clauses are often separated by a comma and a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or or.

Guru Nayak wanted to find his attacker, and he swore to keep searching until he found the man.

A compound sentence is a sentence formed by combining two main clauses. In the following compound sentence, the two main clauses are underlined:

Grammar Link Commas Before And, But, and Or

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


2/19/08 8:21:46 PM

A3

Possible answers include note, notify, connote, denote, and notorious. Related word(s): ___________________________________________________________

2/19/08 8:21:53 PM

to become acquainted with, to get to know noscere Source word: ________________ Source definition: ______________________________

3. “The people have noticed.”

Possible answers include popular, population, and public. Related word(s): ___________________________________________________________

people populus Source word: ________________ Source definition: ______________________________

2. There were groups of people under the almond trees.

Possible answers include experiment, expert, and peril. Related word(s): ___________________________________________________________

to go through, to attempt periri Source word: ________________ Source definition: ______________________________

1. But he said it without much conviction, partly because experience had made him a little skeptical. . . .


A4

scrutable scrutiny

Practice Each of the passages below comes from “Tuesday Siesta.” Look at the underlined words in each one. Using a dictionary, determine the source of the root of that word (all three come from the Latin language). Then find another word that belongs to the same family. On the lines provided, write down the source word, its meaning, and the new word.

inscrutable scrutinize

Below is a group of words from the family that shares the root scrut, which comes from the Latin verb scrutare, meaning “to examine” or “to look at carefully.” Notice that the words in a family can serve as different parts of speech. Look up each of the words in a dictionary and look for the word scrutare in its etymology.

Different words can be based on the same root, and a group of words that share a root is called a word family.

The root of a word is the part that provides its basic meaning. Usually the spelling and pronunciation of the root are somewhat different (and sometimes very different) from the spelling and pronunciation of the original word that is the source of the root. Most roots of English words come from Latin, Greek, German, or French, but many other languages have contributed as well.

Word Study Word Families

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Tuesday Siesta

Tuesday Siesta


Tuesday Siesta

by 30 points. ________________________________________________________________________

We did so terribly in our game that we lost Use terribly as it relates to being terrible: _______________________________________

extremely Here terribly means: very, _______________________________________________________

2. Then she heard . . . a very low voice, pleasant but terribly exhausted.

to his job twelve times. ________________________________________________________________________

My brother got fired after he was late Use fire as a verb relating to a person losing a job: _______________________________

Here fired means: shot _________________________________________________________

If you run a lap, I will time you. Use time as a verb: ________________________________________________________

individual occasion Here time means: instance, _________________________________________________________

1. It was the first time in her life that she had fired a gun.

Practice The passages below come from “Tuesday Siesta.” Each contains one or two underlined words that can have multiple meanings. Based on the clues provided, write a sample sentence using that word in a different way.

Homonyms could be considered multiple-meaning words. Actually, they are different words that have the same spelling; they often come from different roots and just happen to be spelled the same. The spelling air, for example, can mean the substance we breathe, a person’s attitude or expression, or a melody.

Meaning might also depend on the word’s part of speech. For example, the word shelter can be used either as a noun or a verb, which will involve changes in meaning.

As you may have noticed by the lists of definitions you often find when you look up a word in a dictionary, words can have more than one meaning. Often, this is a matter of connotation, the meaning suggested by the word when it is used in a certain context. For example, if a person says, “What an interesting idea,” interesting could have a negative connotation (if, say, the idea suggested was “Let’s have peanut butter and pickle sandwiches for lunch”), or it could mean the person really is fascinated (if the other person has just proposed a clever solution to a difficult problem).

Word Study Multiple-Meaning Words

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A35

2/19/08 8:21:59 PM

A5

A6

Tuesday Siesta

Y

Y

Y

Y

✓ ■

■

■

✓ ■

■

✓ ■

✓ ■

■

■

N

N

N

N

N

5. She took the girl by the hand and went into the street.

4. I am his mother.

3. The narrow waiting room was poor, neat, and clean.

2. The girl nodded her head.

1. The train emerged from the quivering tunnel of sandy rocks. . . .

the woman and her daughter 4. The townspeople gather around the parish house to see ___________________________ .

Carlos (or the son) 3. The person who shot _____________________________ was a widow named Rebecca.

glasses 2. The priest and his sister both wear ____________________________________________ .

her daughter 1. On the train the woman tells _____________________________ to comb her hair.

Practice B In the sentences below, answer the questions about “Tuesday Siesta” by adding a direct object to the blank line.

Y

✓ ■

Practice A In the passages below from “Tuesday Siesta,” identify whether or not the underlined verb is an action verb. Put a check in the box next to the correct answer.

Direct object: three cookies

Question: Harold ate what?

Sentence: Harold ate three cookies.

Sometimes an action verb is followed by a direct object, which names the noun or noun phrase that has had the action done to it. (Remember that a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea; a noun phrase is a group of words that acts together as a noun.) One way to identify the direct object is to rephrase the sentence as a whom or what question. For example:

An action verb describes what someone or something does. This might be a physical action, like to run, but it could also be a mental action, like to hope.

Grammar Link Action Verbs and Direct Objects

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________


A36 2/19/08 8:22:05 PM

Came to Dine

When Mr. Pirzada

Meaning “not” or “opposite of” “again”

Example Words independence, unlike, immovable rearrange

Meaning “in the manner of” “without” “condition of”

Part of Speech It Forms adverb adjective noun

Example Word accidentally restless reflection

placed again Meaning: ________________

replaced 2. re- + placed = ________________


condition of being expressed Meaning: ____________________________

noun Part of speech: ________________

expression 3. express + -ion = ________________

in a final manner Meaning: ________________

adverb Part of speech: ________________

finally 1. final + -ly = ________________


without harm Meaning: ________________

adjective Part of speech: ________________

harmless 2. harm + -less = ________________

Practice B Combine the following base words and suffixes. Write the part of speech of each newly formed word. Then write the meaning of each newly formed word. Use a dictionary if you need help.

not pleasant Meaning: ________________

unpleasant 1. un- + pleasant = ________________

Practice A Combine the following prefixes and base words. Then write the meaning of each newly formed word.

Suffix -ly -less -ion

The following table shows some common suffixes that change a word’s part of speech.

Prefix in-, un-, imre-

The following table shows a few common prefixes.

Prefixes are word parts added to the beginnings of base words. Suffixes are word parts added to the ends of base words. Both prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning of a base word.

Word Study Prefixes and Suffixes

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


2/19/08 8:22:12 PM

A7


A8

8. “. . . he now understood the meaning of the words ‘thank you’ but they still were not adequate to express his gratitude.” thankfulness sorrow affection

7. “By the time we reached Dora’s house our hands were chapped from carrying our bulging burlap bags. . . .” nearly empty torn swelling outward

6. “My father equipped us with flashlights, and I had to wear my watch and synchronize it with his. We were to return no later than nine o’clock.” touch set to the same time set to a different time

5. “I drew two triangles against the ridged surface for the eyes . . . and crescents for eyebrows. . . .” curved shapes circles straight lines

4. “It was an awkward moment for me, one which I awaited in part with dread, in part with delight.” graceful easy uncomfortable

3. “Though my father always offered to fetch him in our car, Mr. Pirzada preferred to walk from his dormitory to our neighborhood. . . .” liked better disliked avoided

2. “I noticed that there were two distinct parts to it, one much larger than the other, separated by an expanse of Indian territory. . . .” similar unusual separate

1. “I have no memory of his first visit, or of his second or his third, but by the end of September I had grown so accustomed to Mr. Pirzada’s presence in our living room that one evening . . . I asked my mother to hand me a fourth glass from a cupboard still out of my reach.” tired of used to afraid of

Practice Read these sentences from the story. Look for context clues that will help you determine the meaning of the boldfaced word. Circle the correct meaning.

Context—the words and phrases around a word—can help you figure out the meanings of words you do not know. Context clues come in many forms. A context clue could be an example, a contrast, a restatement, or a synonym or antonym.

Word Study Context Meaning

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Came to Dine

When Mr. Pirzada

2/19/08 8:22:19 PM

Came to Dine

When Mr. Pirzada

PREDICATE brought gifts of candy to Lilia. found Mr. Pirzada’s name on a list.

COMPOUND PREDICATE wore costumes and went trick-or-treating.



C ____________ 9. Were Mr. Pirzada’s daughters safe, or were they in danger?

C ___________ 8. Lilia usually did homework in the evening, but that night she watched the news.

S ____________ 7. Mr. Pirzada set his watch to the local time in Dacca.

C ____________ 6. The adults sat in the living room, and they watched the news.

A9

2/19/08 8:22:26 PM

C ____________ 5. Mr. Pirzada wore a black fez on his head; he had a silk tie knotted at his neck.

S ____________ 4. Lilia had been born in the United States.

S ____________ 3. Mr. Pirzada and Lilia’s parents had a great deal in common.

C ____________ 2. The grant was an honor, but it was not very generous.

S ____________ 1. Mr. Pirzada wrote to his wife and sent comic books to his daughters.

Practice Write S in the blank before each simple sentence. Write C before each compound sentence. S EXAMPLE: __________ The story takes place in the autumn of 1971.

SIMPLE SENTENCE SIMPLE SENTENCE Mr. Pirzada came each evening, and he brought sweets for Lilia. Mr. Pirzada came each evening; he brought sweets for Lilia.

A compound sentence contains two or more simple sentences joined by a comma and and, but, or or. They can also be joined by a semicolon.

COMPOUND SUBJECT Lilia and Dora

A simple sentence may contain a compound subject or a compound predicate or both.

SUBJECT Mr. Pirzada Lilia’s parents

A simple sentence has one subject and one predicate.

Grammar Link Simple and Compound Sentences

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A37

Catch the MOON

A10

ilin-

im-ence -ation -ed

-ful -iate

-ity -ize

-ial -ly

-ous -ent

organized b. He and his gang ________________ a talent show.

organization a. Luis’s ________________ was registered as a “social club.”

5. organize

insecure b. Luis felt shy and ________________ when talking to Naomi.

security a. To Mr. Cintrón, having his own business meant ________________.

4. secure

impatient a. At first, Luis was ________________ and unwilling to listen to his father. patiently b. Luis tried to listen ________________ as his father told of his dreams.

3. patient

dangerous a. Climbing the silver mountain of hubcaps could be ________________. endangered b. Luis’s boa was named E.S., which stood for ________________ species.

2. danger

residents b. The ________________ of El Building were mostly newcomers to America.

residential a. Luis lived in a ________________ area filled with single-family homes.

1. reside

aen-

Practice For each item, use the base word and one or more word parts from the box to form a derivative that will correctly complete each sentence. Use a dictionary to check your spelling.

rest unrest restlessly restroom

A base word is a word part that is itself a word. A derivative is a word that is formed by adding prefixes, suffixes, or whole words to a base word. Notice how the word rest functions as the base of each word below.

Word Study Base Words and Derivatives

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________


A38 2/19/08 8:22:33 PM

Catch the MOON

c. idolized

c. polished in her actions and appearance


7. Luis sat in his father’s (ancient / old) Buick and cried.

6. Luis noticed that Naomi wore a (flashy / shiny) gold bracelet.

5. The (skinny / slender) girl in a frilly white dress had been Naomi.

Catch the Moon

4. Luis (outsmarted / duped) everyone by calling his organization a social club.

3. Naomi was (surprised / alarmed) to see Luis outside her window.

2. “She is such a (pleasant / nice) young woman,” said Mr. Cintrón.

1. Luis (refused / declined) to speak with anyone at the funeral.

Practice B Complete each sentence by underlining the word in parentheses that has the more positive connotation.

5. Mr. Cintrón worshipped his wife. a. bowed to her wishes b. loved

4. Naomi was a refined young woman. a. well-mannered b. quiet

3. Luis was determined in his search for the matching hubcap. a. stubborn b. strong willed c. focused and goal-oriented

2. His father objected to the T-shirt logo, calling it disgusting. a. offensive b. shocking c. nauseating

1. Luis was stunned by his father’s offer to find the hubcap. a. shocked b. unbelieving c. surprised

Practice A Read each sentence. Use your knowledge of denotation and connotation to circle the best connotation of each underlined word.

A denotation expresses the exact meaning of a word. A word may have more than one denotation, but all of its denotations will be listed in the dictionary. Connotation refers to an emotion or value associated with a word. A word may have positive, negative, or neutral connotations. For example, the words beautiful and pretty have similar denotations, but beautiful has a more positive connotation, implying an attractiveness that excites the emotions. Pretty has a slightly less positive connotation, suggesting merely something that is pleasing to the eye.

Word Study Denotation and Connotation

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


2/19/08 8:22:39 PM

A11


A12

IO ____________ 12. The neighbors offered the family their sympathy.

IO ____________ 11. Luis brought his mother much happiness.

DO ____________ 10. The mother gave her family love and attention.

IO ____________ 9. Luis gave his father a look of surprise.

IO ____________ 8. Naomi’s father gave her a vintage car.

DO ____________ 7. Anita told the principal information about Luis.

IO ____________ 6. The boys bought their boa mice.

DO ____________ 5. The audience gave the Tiburones a standing ovation.

IO ____________ 4. The Tiburones sang the audience a song.

IO ____________ 3. Luis assigned other guys dangerous jobs.

IO ____________ 2. Mr. Cintrón gave Luis a job in his car junkyard.

DO ____________ 1. The judge offered Luis a chance at a new life.

Practice Read each sentence. Write DO on the line if the italicized word is a direct object. Write IO if the italicized word is an indirect object. An example is provided. IO EXAMPLE: __________ The old woman gave Luis a scar.

Naomi gave Luis a drawing. (The indirect object Luis answers the question, Naomi gave a drawing to whom?)

Luis brought Mr. Cintrón a bag of ice. (The indirect object Mr. Cintrón answers the question, Luis brought a bag of ice for whom?)

An indirect object can appear only in a sentence that has a direct object. Just as a direct object answers the question whom? or what? after an action verb, an indirect object answers the question to whom? or for whom? An indirect object always comes before the direct object.

Grammar Link Direct and Indirect Objects

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Catch the MOON

2/19/08 8:22:46 PM


I am enjoying the sunny day. (The main verb, enjoying, is the last verb in the verb phrase.) I enjoyed the movie very much. I have enjoyed all of the movies I have seen by that director. (The main verb, enjoyed, is the last verb in the verb phrase.)

Present Participle: Past Form: Past Participle:

Aunt Tee and her friends were playing cards.



11. Some people buy lots of things because they are trying to make themselves happy.

10. Angelou has traveled around the world.

9. Aunt Tee’s employers were watching from the door.

8. Angelou has written several autobiographies.

7. Angelou was working as an actress.

6. They were living in Bel Air.

5. Aunt Tee had worked for wealthy families.

4. Angelou was sitting on the uncomfortable couch.

3. Aunt Tee had retired.

2. Maya Angelou had visited her aunt before.

1. Aunt Tee was living in her own apartment.

EXAMPLE:

main verb.

Practice Draw one line under the entire verb phrase. Draw two lines under the

I enjoy spending time with my friends.

Base Form:

Verbs have four principal parts: the base form, the present participle, the past form, and the past participle. These principal parts are often combined with helping verbs to form verb phrases. The main verb is always the last verb in a verb phrase.

Grammar Link Main Verbs: Principal Parts

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A39

2/19/08 8:22:54 PM

A13

The Tucson Zoo

PAST FORM began sang swam

PAST PARTICIPLE begun sung swum

PAST FORM brought bought caught felt left made sat slept taught thought

PAST PARTICIPLE brought bought caught felt left made sat slept taught thought

A14

felt Mary ________________ sad about the team’s loss. (feel)

sung 5. He has ________________ with the boys choir since he was six years old. (sing)

thought 4. Thomas wonders what ants ________________ as they acted one single creature. (think)

taught 3. Ants have ________________ some people that individuality is better than altruism. (teach)

(begin)

began 2. He enjoyed watching them at play until he ________________ thinking like an ethologist.

zoo. (swim)

swam 1. Thomas watched the beavers and otters as they ________________ in their habitats in the

EXAMPLE:

Practice Write in the blank the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

BASE FORM bring buy catch feel leave make sit sleep teach think

With other irregular verbs, the past form and the past participle are the same.

BASE FORM begin sing swim

Verbs that do not form their past and past participle by adding the ending -ed are called irregular verbs. With some irregular verbs, one vowel changes in the past form and past participle.

Grammar Link Irregular Verbs I

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________


A40 2/19/08 8:22:59 PM

Straw into Gold:

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday

fuming

annoyed

c. unfit d. fairness c. silent d. rush c. crafty d. snob

2. justice a. inequality b. dishonest 3. loud a. calm b. thunderous 4. cunning a. slow-witted b. truthful


4. small miniscule tiny

2. unrealistic unlikely impossible


3. terrified scared frightened

1. chilly freezing brisk

Practice B Circle the word that has the strongest meaning in each group of synonyms below.

c. kind d. right

1. compassionate a. wrong b. cruel

Practice A Find the synonym for each word below. Circle the letter in front of the word.

These three words are all synonyms, but notice that fuming is a lot stronger than annoyed.

angry

Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. Sometimes these words differ slightly in meaning and intensity. Read below to see how synonyms have slightly different meanings.

Word Study Synonyms

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


2/19/08 8:23:06 PM

A15

PAST FORM blew drew flew grew knew

PAST PARTICIPLE blown drawn flown grown known

PAST FORM was, were did went wore

PAST PARTICIPLE been done gone worn

knew 7. Do you think her family ________________ of her talent when she was growing up? (know)

went 6. She ________________ to a prestigious school and received her MFA. (go)

flown 5. Cisneros has ________________ to Europe on an NEA grant. (fly)

(grow)

grown 4. Cisneros and her brothers had ________________ up in a nomadic household before 1966.

been 3. The ladies’ sadness had ________________ on their faces for years. (be)

stories. (draw)

drew 2. Cisneros ________________ inspiration from family, friends, and her neighborhood for her


A16

blew The wind ________________ her hair in her face. (blow)

wore 1. When Sandra Cisneros was younger, she ________________ a crumpled skirt. (wear)

EXAMPLE:

Practice Write in the blank the past form of the irregular verb in parentheses.

BASE FORM be do go wear

With others, the past form and the past participle do not follow any pattern.

BASE FORM blow draw fly grow know

With some irregular verbs, the past form ends in –ew, and the past participle ends in –wn.

Grammar Link Irregular Verbs II

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

The Metamorphosis of the Everyday

Straw into Gold:

2/19/08 8:23:12 PM


PAST FORM became came ran

PAST PARTICIPLE become come run

PAST FORM bit broke chose drove ate fell gave saw spoke took wrote

PAST PARTICIPLE bitten or bit broken chosen driven eaten fallen given seen spoken taken written

become Abraham Lincoln has ________________ an inspiration to many people. (become)



seen 8. Barack Obama has ________________ many photographs of Lincoln. (see)

come 7. Lincoln had ________________ to Ford’s Theatre to see a play. (come)

written 6. Lincoln had ________________ a carefully worded proclamation. (write)

seen 5. Lincoln had ________________ the country divided by war. (see)

taken 4. Lincoln had ________________ a job as a lawyer. (take)

spoken 3. He had ________________ out against slavery as early as 1837. (speak)

driven 2. We had ________________ to New Salem, Illinois, to see his home. (drive)

run 1. Lincoln had ________________ for office in Illinois. (run)

EXAMPLE:

Practice Write in the blank the past participle of the irregular verb in parentheses.

BASE FORM bite break choose drive eat fall give see speak take write

With other irregular verbs, the past participle ends in –en.

BASE FORM become come run

With some irregular verbs, the base form and the past participle are the same.

Grammar Link Irregular Verbs III

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A41

2/19/08 8:23:18 PM

A17


A18

Perrault.

____________ 12. Among the most famous writers are the Grimm brothers and Charles

____________ 11. Have quite a few characteristics in common.

F ____________ 10. The original tales were told aloud to children and adults.

____________ 9. Similar plots, characters, and themes are found in different cultures.

____________ 8. What has happened to sisterhood?

____________ 7. Can remember enough details to retell the story.

F ____________ 6. The fairy tales of many different cultures.

F ____________ 5. Some women treat each other poorly in the workplace.

____________ 4. Morrison delivered this speech during the 1980s.

____________ 3. Makes them seem clumsy and ugly.

F ____________ 2. Talks about Cinderella.

F ____________ 1. The Stepsisters treated Cinderella horribly.

Practice Draw one line under the complete subject and two lines under the complete predicate of each complete sentence. If a sentence is not complete, write F (fragment) in the blank. F EXAMPLE: __________ Halfway through the book.

For many working women. (lacks a subject and a predicate)

Social and welfare workers who. (lacks a predicate)

Describes the stepsisters as beautiful. (lacks a subject)

A sentence must have both a subject and a predicate to express a complete thought. A group of words that lacks a subject, a predicate, or both is a sentence fragment. A fragment does not express a complete thought and should be avoided in writing.

Grammar Link Sentence Fragments

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________


A42 2/19/08 8:23:27 PM


R __________ Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize in Literature she won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, too.



R ___________ 8. One of her favorite themes is the friendship between women how it is shaped by their choices and their community.

___________ 7. Morrison’s works exhibit both an awesome beauty and an enormous political power.

R ___________ 6. From 1970 to 1992, she published five novels, a play, and a book of literary criticism, she also began teaching again part-time.

___________ 5. At a New York publishing house, Morrison worked almost exclusively with African American writers.

___________ 4. During the 1960s she joined a writer’s workshop, where she wrote a story she later turned into her first novel.

R ___________ 3. Morrison graduated from Howard University, she appeared in campus theater productions.

___________ 2. She grew up in a family of storytellers and developed an appreciation of language.

___________ 1. Morrison was born in Ohio, the second of four children.

EXAMPLE:

Practice Write R next to each run-on sentence.

CORRECTED SENTENCE Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford. She later changed her first name to “Toni.” Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford; she later changed her first name to “Toni.” Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford, but she later changed her first name to “Toni.”

RUN-ON SENTENCE Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford, she later changed her first name to “Toni.”

A run-on sentence is two or more sentences incorrectly written as one sentence. Correct a run-on sentence by writing separate sentences or by combining the sentences with a semicolon (;) or with a comma and and, or, or but.

Grammar Link Run-On Sentences

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


2/19/08 8:23:33 PM

A19

I can’t believe the poem is about a pair of socks!


A20

Practice B Replace each italicized word or group of words with a personal pronoun. Write the pronoun above the words. Write subj. in the blank if the pronoun is a subject and obj. if it is an object. us obj. EXAMPLE: __________ Mr. Yoshida read the poem to Kay, Don, and me. he subj. ___________ 1. When he was a young man, Pablo Neruda wrote constantly. him obj. ___________ 2. Teachers encouraged Neruda to write more poetry. it obj. ___________ 3. Did you read the entire poem? he subj. ___________ 4. With great care, the poet describes how the socks look and feel.

6. I wish I could see the poetry in everyday objects in the same way that he does.

5. Does it surprise you that the ode is one of his best-known poems?

4. They were “as soft / as rabbits,” he wrote.

3. As soon as he could, he tried them on.

2. Her beautiful and thoughtful gift thrilled him.

1. Maru Mori gave him a pair of hand-knitted socks.

EXAMPLE:

Practice A Circle each personal pronoun.

The socks inspired him to write an ode. (The object pronoun him is the object of the verb inspired.)

He wore socks. (The subject pronoun he is the subject of the sentence.)

A subject pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, we, or they) is a personal pronoun that is the subject of a sentence. An object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, or them) is a personal pronoun that is the direct object or indirect object of a verb.

A pronoun takes the place of a noun. A personal pronoun refers to a person, place, thing, or idea by indicating the person speaking (the first person), the person or people being spoken to (the second person), or any other person, place, thing, or idea being talked about (the third person).

Grammar Link Personal Pronouns

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Ode to My Socks

2/19/08 8:23:39 PM



Antonym casual forget alertness progress

daze

linger

lax

remember

recollect bring to mind ________________

stupor energy ________________

lag fall behind ________________

ceremonious proper ________________

sluggishness

trail

decorous

lose sight of



Did the audience display boredom and indifference toward the speech or keen interest? The audience displayed keen interest. ________________________________________________________________________

technical speech would put them in a stupor.

2. The speaker was surprised by the attentiveness of her audience; she had expected that her

1. The Friday night social at the VFW hall was anything but ceremonious. informal Was the social tightly structured or informal? ___________________________________

Practice B Answer the questions that follow each statement.

4. numbness

3. advance

2. formal

1. recall

Practice A In each of the numbered sets below, three of the words or phrases are synonyms for one of the vocabulary words in the chart. Underline the word or phrase in each set that is an antonym of the vocabulary word. Then write the set’s vocabulary word on the line following it. Use a dictionary to look up any words that you do not know.

Vocabulary Word ceremonious recollect stupor lag

Antonyms are words that have opposite or nearly opposite meanings. The following chart provides antonyms for each of the vocabulary words from “After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes” and “Heart! We Will Forget Him!” Study the chart. Then complete Practice A.

Word Study Antonyms

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A43

2/19/08 8:23:44 PM

A21



you you your, yours



Second Person:

Third Person:

they them their, theirs

you you your, yours

Plural we us our, ours

A22

5. It was (I, me) who noticed that they had taken it.

4. Are (they, them) going to help out or just stand around?

3. My task was difficult, but (your, yours) was more difficult.

2. Cindy told Lois and (I, me) where to hang the banner.

1. Lois helped (we, us) decorate the room for the party.

Practice Underline the pronoun in parentheses that best completes each sentence.

Used before a noun: Where is your homework? Used after a noun: That homework is yours.

Where there are two possessive forms shown, you use the first before a noun and the second alone, in place of a noun.

Use subject pronouns as the subject of a sentence: He won the contest. Use object pronouns as the object of a verb: He beat them. Use possessive pronouns to show possession: The trophy on the mantel is his.

he, she, it him, her, it his, hers, its

Singular I me my, mine

Grammatical Function First Person: Subject Object Possessive

Pronouns are words used in place of one or more nouns. Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things. There are three categories of personal pronouns: firstperson, second-person, and third-person. Within these categories, personal pronouns have different forms depending on the grammatical function, number, and gender of the nouns they replace or represent. Below is a complete list of personal pronouns.

Grammar Link Using Pronouns Correctly

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________


A44 2/19/08 8:23:50 PM

Miss Rosie


situations.

Miss Rosie

they 7. Clifton’s poems are usually short, but ________________ often deal with complex

love of learning to her.

they 6. Although Clifton’s parents were not formally educated, ________________ passed on a

of slavery and lynching.

it 5. The history of Clifton’s ancestors is sometimes tragic; ________________ includes victims

4. Two collections of Clifton’s poetry were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1988; they ________________ were Good Woman and Next.

York Times as one of the year’s ten best books.

2/19/08 8:23:56 PM

A23

it 3. When Clifton’s first book was published in 1969, ________________ was hailed by the New

before turning to poetry.

she 2. Clifton entered Howard University at sixteen, where ________________ studied drama

economic crisis that lasted throughout the 1930s.

It 1. Clifton was born in the middle of the Depression. ________________ was a severe

she EXAMPLE: Clifton’s mother worked as a laundress, but ________________ also found time to write poetry.

pronoun.

Practice Fill in the blank with the correct pronoun. Then circle the antecedent of the

The poems of Lucille Clifton are often grim. They portray the harsh realities of urban life. (Poems is the antecedent of they.)

The woman in the poem is very old, but she had once been young and beautiful. (Woman is the antecedent of the pronoun she).

The word or group of words that a pronoun refers to is its antecedent. The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.

Grammar Link Pronouns and Antecedents

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading



A24

12. Halmoni (holds, hold) Lee’s hand and (tells, tell) him to visit his father.

11. Though she can barely walk, Lee’s grandmother (does, do) not like to ask for help.

10. Lee’s aunts (cooks, cook) the meal.

9. Halmoni (lives, live) with Lee’s aunt.

8. While his family members (talks, talk), Lee (prepares, prepare) food.

7. Lee’s family members (dines, dine) at a barbecue restaurant.

6. During Lee’s trip to Korea, he (realizes, realize) how important family is to him.

5. Koreans sometimes (writes, write) in Chinese characters.

4. Lee’s uncle tells him, “Everyone (is, are) here.”

3. Lee and his father (visits, visit) the gravesite.

2. Lee’s father (bows, bow) to show his respect.

1. Koreans (engraves, engrave) headstones with the names of family members.

Practice Underline the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject.

The flights last seven hours. (plural noun flights, plural verb last)

The flight lasts seven hours. (singular noun flight, singular verb lasts)

The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in number. A noun that is singular must be used with the singular form of the verb. A noun that is plural is used with the plural form of the verb.

Grammar Link Making Subjects and Verbs Agree

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

We Are Family

2/19/08 8:24:02 PM

Playing Jazz


We play. (First person, plural) You play. (Second person, plural) They play. (Third person, plural)

I am practicing. (helping verb) They do like jazz. (helping verb) You have met the band leader. (helping verb)

I (hopes, hope) the jazz concert isn’t sold out.



12. They (lives, live) out of their suitcases when they are touring.

11. Frankie (stays, stay) for hours listening to performance after performance.

10. We (visit, visits) other jazz clubs to hear new bands play.

9. He (says, say) that he doesn’t want musical imitators in his band.

8. Today you (seems, seem) even happier to play than usual.

7. We usually (packs, pack) our instruments just before leaving.

6. They (have, has) gone to see the new jazz band play at the Blue Note.

5. Walking up to the stage, we (prepare, prepares) to play.

4. It (is, are) obvious that the music show will have to be postponed.

3. I hope he (find, finds) the music books.

2. She (is, are) planning to learn a new instrument this summer.

1. We always (has, have) to wait for the trumpet player to arrive.

EXAMPLE:

Practice Draw two lines under the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject.

I am tired. (main verb) She does good work. (main verb) You have three instruments. (main verb)

The verbs have, do, and be can be main verbs or helping verbs. They must agree with the subject whether they are used as main or helping verbs.

I play. (First person, singular) You play. (Second person, singular) He, she, or it plays. (Third person, singular)

In sentences, subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) must agree with the verb.

Grammar Link Subject Pronouns and Verb Agreement

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A45

2/19/08 8:24:10 PM

A25

Julius Caesar

The Tr agedy of Act 2 Scene 1

A26

S

S

S

S

✓ ■

■

■

✓ ■

■

✓ ■

✓ ■

■

M

M

M

M

The conspirators should not show their true feelings, but they should put on an act ___________________________________________________________ .

4. The conspirators should look as dignified and at ease as Roman actors.

bravely and forcefully The evils could inspire cowards to act ____________________________ .

3. The evils that Rome suffers are torches that could set fire even to cowards.

very confused and upset Brutus is feeling _____________________________________________ .

2. Brutus’s mind is a kingdom in the middle of a revolution.

they give so much light Brutus can read by them because _______________________________ .

1. The meteors falling through the air are like lamps.

Julius Caesar, Act 2, Scene 1. For each sentence, circle the two things being compared. Check the box to indicate whether it is a simile (S) or a metaphor (M). Then complete the second sentence to show what can be learned from the comparison.

Practice The following sentences contain similes and metaphors based on lines in

Brutus also says that “lowliness is young ambition’s ladder.” This is a metaphor because it does not contain like or as. We know how a ladder works: One climbs from the bottom to the top. Therefore, lowliness, or humility, is a means to climb from a low position in society to a higher position.

For example, Brutus says people should think of Caesar “as a serpent’s egg.” This is a simile because it contains the word as. We know that such an egg contains an unborn serpent, or poisonous snake, that will hatch and become dangerous. Therefore, Caesar may become dangerous if he “hatches,” or becomes more powerful.

A simile is a comparison of things that are basically unlike, using the words like or as. A metaphor is a similar comparison, without the words like or as. Shakespeare’s language is full of such comparisons. Their purpose is to help readers or listeners understand an unfamiliar thing by comparing it to a familiar thing.

Word Study Figurative Language: Similes and Metaphors

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________


A46 2/19/08 8:24:16 PM

Julius Caesar

The Tr agedy of Act 2 Scene 1

Each of Brutus’s visitors (wears, wear) a disguise.


5. A report of bad auguries (worries, worry) Cassius. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act 2 Scene 1

4. Cassius says that every one of the conspirators (honors, honor) Brutus.

3. Meteors in the sky (gives, give) enough light to read by.

2. The letters from an unknown sender (tells, tell) Brutus to act.

1. His worry about Caesar’s ambitions (makes, make) Brutus think of Caesar’s death.

EXAMPLE:

Practice Draw one line under the subject. Draw two lines under the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject.

Strange and mysterious omens are there throughout the night. A stone bench sits here in the orchard.

To make finding the subject easier, rearrange these sentences by placing the subject before the verb in the usual manner.

There are strange and mysterious omens throughout the night. Here in the orchard sits a stone bench.

Some sentences begin with there or here. These words are never the subject of a sentence. Look for the subject after the verb.

The characters are all Roman citizens. The plot proves fatal to Caesar.

You can check for subject-verb agreement by removing the prepositional phrase.

In the first sentence, in the play is a prepositional phrase. The subject of the sentence is characters, which is plural; therefore, the verb that agrees with it, are, is also plural. In the second sentence, by the conspirators is a prepositional phrase. The singular verb proves agrees with plot, which is a singular subject.

The characters in the play are all Roman citizens. The plot by the conspirators proves fatal to Caesar.

Sometimes a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb. The verb must agree with the subject of the sentence and not with the object of the preposition.

Grammar Link Locating the Subject

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


2/19/08 8:24:22 PM

A27

Act 4 Scene 1

All the conspirators had (herd, heard) about Caesar’s superstitions.


A28

10. Will there ever again be (piece, peace) in Rome?

9. Antony says Lepidus will (bare, bear) some of their responsibility.

8. Caius chooses to (where, wear) a scarf around his head.

7. Portia thinks it isn’t (right, write) for Brutus to be out at night.

6. Casca points out where the (rays, raise) of the sun will appear.

5. Brutus personally (new, knew) all these men for years.

4. Worries about Caesar (way, weigh) heavily on Brutus’s thoughts.

3. Brutus had (read, red) all the mysterious letters sent to him.

2. Someone tossed that letter (through, threw) an open window.

1. Strange omens had been (scene, seen) in the night sky.

EXAMPLE:

Practice Circle the homophone in parentheses that correctly completes the sentence.

These homophones sometimes give writers problems: there, their, and they’re. • There is an adverb meaning “in that place”: The letters from unknown writers are there on the table. • Their is a possessive pronoun meaning “belonging to or done by them”: The conspirators wrap their faces in cloaks to disguise themselves. • They’re is a contraction meaning “they are”: They’re all prepared to persuade Brutus to join them.

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently. For example, to, too, and two: • To is a preposition and is used in a prepositional phrase: The senators will escort Caesar to the Capitol. • Too is an adverb meaning “also”: The conspirators wonder if they should kill Antony too. • Two means “one more than one” and can be used as an adjective or a noun: While Brutus and Cassius talk, Casca discusses the sunrise with two other characters.

Word Study Homophones

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

Julius Caesar

The Tr agedy of

2/19/08 8:24:28 PM

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

bird + song

birdsong

sunshine 4. ________________ landfill 2. ________________

bedside

halfway

downstairs



halfway 4. In a flash of lightning, Thor’s chariot sped ________________ across the sky.

handmaid 3. The fire god disguised himself as a ________________.

downstairs 2. Thor dragged Loki ________________ to the stables.

bedside 1. Thor felt on the ________________ table for his hammer.

handmaid

Practice B Complete each sentence with the correct compound word.

cowshed 3. ________________

Column 2 shed shine fill top mountaintop 1. ________________

Column 1 mountain land cow sun

Practice A Combine a word from Column 1 with a word from Column 2 to form a compound word. Write the compound words on the lines below. (You will use each the component word once.)

country + side

countryside

Component Word day + light

daylight

Compound Word

Compound words are words that are made up of two smaller words. You can often figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar compound word by identifying the two smaller words. The following chart shows three compound words from the selection and the component words from which they are made.

Word Study Compound Words

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A47

2/19/08 8:24:33 PM

A29

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer

A30

10. Vikings believed that those who died in battle went straight to Valhalla, the great hall of the . god Odin _____

? 9. What are the names of the nine worlds of Norse mythology _____

. 8. The Vikings recorded their mythology in collections called Eddas _____

? 7. What was the top speed a Viking longship could reach _____

. 6. Viking ships were propelled by both sails and oars _____

. 5. In the Middle Ages, Viking ships were the finest in the world _____

. 4. Normandy, a region in northwestern France, was once a Viking kingdom _____

? 3. What countries comprise the region known as Scandinavia _____

? 2. Do you known the origin of the word Viking _____

. 1. The Vikings settled both Iceland and Greenland _____

Practice Insert a question mark on the blank line if the sentence is interrogative. Insert a period if the sentence is declarative.

Did you know that Vikings reached North America around A.D. 1000?

An interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with a question mark.

The Vikings of the Middle Ages created Norse mythology.

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. All sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark. Different kinds of sentences have different purposes. A declarative sentence makes a statement. It ends with a period.

Grammar Link Kinds of Sentences: Declarative and Interrogative

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________


A48 2/19/08 8:24:39 PM

The Stealing of

Thor’s Hammer


exc. ____________ 10. I found it!

imp. ____________ 9. Don’t leave yet!

exc. ____________ 8. I’m so embarrassed!

imp. ____________ 7. Shine the flashlight over in the corner.

exc. ____________ 6. What a thing to happen today!

imp. ____________ 5. Ask John and Lisa if they have seen my watch.

imp. ____________ 4. Help me move this sofa.

imp. ____________ 3. Look under there!

exc. ____________ 2. I can’t think where I might have left it!

imp. ____________ 1. Search in all the bedrooms upstairs.

EXAMPLE:

blank before each imperative sentence. exc. __________ That watch is my favorite possession!


Practice Write exc. in the blank before each exclamatory sentence and imp. in the

(You) Please help me search the house for it. (You) Help me find it!

An imperative sentence commands someone to do something. The subject you is understood. An imperative sentence can end either with a period or an exclamation point.

I’ve lost the watch my father gave me!

In addition to declarative and interrogative sentences, there are two other types of sentences. An exclamatory sentence shows strong feelings. It ends with an exclamation point.

Grammar Link Kinds of Sentences: Exclamatory and Imperative

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


2/19/08 8:24:45 PM

A31

the battle.

8. Buffalo Calf Road Woman’s actions were the (most surprising, surprisingest) parts of

outnumbered them.

7. The (most big, biggest) problem for the Lakota and Cheyenne was that the whites

6. The Lakota and Cheyenne were (swifter, more swift) than their opponents.

5. The woman in the Society of Quilters were (more honorable, honorablest) than others.

4. Buffalo Calf Road Woman is the (stronger, strongest) woman I have ever read about.

3. The wives of officials had to be of the (most high, highest) moral character.

2. Buffalo Calf Road Woman was a (more determined, determinedest) woman than most.

ever seen.


A32

The Lakota are (fiercer, fiercest) than their enemies.

1. The battle was the (dreadfulest, most dreadful) thing that Buffalo Calf Road Woman had

EXAMPLE:

Practice Underline the adjective in parentheses that best completes each sentence.

John Henry is the most heroic of all the railroad workers.

Buffalo Calf Road Woman is the bravest of her people.

The superlative form of an adjective compares more than two people or things. It is usually formed by adding –est to an adjective that has only one syllable. If the adjective has more than one syllable, the superlative is usually formed by adding most before the adjective.

John Henry is more heroic than the other railroad workers.

Buffalo Calf Road Woman is braver than most people.

Some kinds of adjectives compare two or more nouns or pronouns. The comparative form of an adjective compares two things or people. It is usually formed by adding –er to an adjective that has only one syllable. If an adjective has more than one syllable, the comparative is usually formed by adding the word more before the adjective.

Grammar Link Adjectives that Compare

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________



2/19/08 8:24:52 PM

People at Night

The Dream


哭

That story about the dream unfolded eerily.

哭

哭


8. Kincaid’s story concludes very surprisingly.

哭

7. Eventually, parts of the dream repeat.

哭


6. The narrator quickly moves from one bizarre situation to another.

哭

5. Soon she wishes that she were home in bed.

哭

4. The story’s narrator wearily walks along a mysterious road.

a strange dream.

3. In “What I Have Been Doing Lately,” author Jamaica Kincaid precisely describes

2. In modern times, dream stories often include illogical events.

哭

1. People of many cultures have written movingly about their dreams.

EXAMPLE:

Practice Underline each adverb. Draw an arrow to the verb it modifies. 哭

Most, but not all, words that end in -ly are adverbs. This type of adverb is usually formed by adding -ly to an adjective. For instance, add -ly to strange to get strangely. Some adverbs that do not end in -ly are soon, after, now, later, hard, not, fast, often, today, always, very, and here.

In the dream, he runs downstairs. (The adverb downstairs tells where he runs.)

Often he dreams of being chased. (The adverb often tells when he dreams of being chased.)

Al sleepily said, “I’m going to bed.” (The adverb sleepily tells how Al said the words.)

An adverb modifies, or describes, a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. An adverb tells how, when, or where about the word it modifies. An adverb that modifies a verb may appear in different positions in a sentence:

Grammar Link Adverbs Modifying Verbs

Name ______________________________________________________ Date __________________________

During Reading


During Reading


A49

3/13/08 6:50:10 AM

A33

Notes

Notes

Notes

Read and Write Course 5 Approaching Level - Teacher Edition

Read and Write Course 5 Approaching Level - Student Edition

Read and Write British Literature, Approaching Level (Student Edition)

Approaching Eye Level

Teacher Training Course

Super Structures (Read and Discover Level 3)

Dine Bizaad: Speak, Read, Write Navajo

Read It Yourself - The Body (Level 2)

Amazing Plants (Read It Yourself - Level 2)

Thumbelina (Read It Yourself Level 3)

Write Great Code: Thinking Low-Level, Writing High-Level

Vocabulary Builder, Course 5

Perl 5 Interactive Course

Approaching Oblivion

White Teacher: Second Edition

Approaching Perimelasma

Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Read It Yourself Level 1)

Days with Frog and Toad (I Can Read, Level 2)

Teacher Pay and Teacher Quality

Teacher, Teacher

Ni Hao Level 4: Chinese Language Course Advanced Level

Approaching Oblivion

Approaching Oblivion

Grammar Time Level 5 Student's Book for Pack New Edition

Read and Write Course 5 Approaching Level - Teacher Edition

Read and Write Course 5 Approaching Level - Student Edition

Read and Write British Literature, Approaching Level (Student Edition)

Approaching Eye Level

Teacher Training Course

Super Structures (Read and Discover Level 3)

Dine Bizaad: Speak, Read, Write Navajo

Read It Yourself - The Body (Level 2)

Amazing Plants (Read It Yourself - Level 2)

Thumbelina (Read It Yourself Level 3)

Write Great Code: Thinking Low-Level, Writing High-Level

Vocabulary Builder, Course 5

Perl 5 Interactive Course

Approaching Oblivion

White Teacher: Second Edition

Approaching Perimelasma

Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Read It Yourself Level 1)

Days with Frog and Toad (I Can Read, Level 2)

Teacher Pay and Teacher Quality

Teacher, Teacher

Ni Hao Level 4: Chinese Language Course Advanced Level

Approaching Oblivion

Approaching Oblivion

Grammar Time Level 5 Student's Book for Pack New Edition

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